Haunted By The Past
by xfrecklesx
Summary: When strange things starts happening around her who is behind them? Surely there isn't a ghost of birthday past...Ronnie receives a not so ordinary birthday present...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don not own eastenders or the characters etc... all ideas are mine...**

**I know I have another story atm and I'll update that shortly just of out and thought I'd post this see what people think. Reviews are a love:)**

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Ronnie walks into her office; she was not in the mood to celebrate her birthday. She walks to her desk and spots something on it, a tiny smile creeps up onto her face; Roxy must have left it for her, not one to listen to her.

She takes a seat and unwraps the pink-papered present. She furrows her brow…An old copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's DVD; it even had an old juice stain on it. Who would send her that for her birthday? She quickly opens the card. She pales slightly on the front was in black and white a picture of a mother with a young girl smiling. She opens the card and it reads.

"Happy birthday Ronnie.

From A."

A. That had to be Archie right…but the writing, it was feminine, and he would not send her a card with a mother and daughter on…or would he, she would not put anything past him after he had cruelly and so easily, lied to her about her daughter's death, and then her true existence. She stared at the card, and then at the DVD. Who would send her these, what importance did these hold?

Therefore, she quickly opens her laptop and checks the security tapes. It had to be early this morning, because she was here last night. She rewinds the tape… She stops, her face pales even more, a person was walking into the office, at 4.08 am. She plays it. A person in a dark hoodie, the body was slender, even with the baggy hoodie, it was clear they were small. It clearly was not her father. It was a female! She stands, picks up the card and DVD and rushes out the club locking it behind her, she had to find someone, she just had to tell someone. Prove she was not loosing her mind. She needed a reason, an explanation as to why someone would leave these; these were not your ordinary birthday gift.

However, as Ronnie runs away towards the square, the camera pans around, back, further down the street. On the corner, hiding next to a bush, a person wearing a hoodie and black jeans, black gloves. The camera stays far away; zoomed out, the hood is down covering the top of the person's face, could not be made out anyway. The person soon turns around and walks away.

Ronnie did not know why she came here of all places. She contemplated that reason as she bangs on the Slater's door. As soon as she saw the writing on the card she knew who's it was, but she could not allow herself to believe it. She had stared at that writing though, so many times, it was something she had touched, a part of her, her writing, but it couldn't be.

Stacey shouts out that she was coming. She opens the door annoyed, even more so as she sees Ronnie. What did she want? Did she not know that she was just a painful reminder of Danielle?

Ronnie thrusts the card into Stacey's hands, Stacey is taken back by the action, she didn't know what to make of it. Stacey shrugs.

"Well it's a nice card an all that, but it aint my birthday…"

"It's not for you. It's mine. Someone left it in my office for me." Stacey was shocked, Ronnie's birthday, but why was she showing her the card? Ronnie tells her to open it.

Stacey's eyes widen as she sees the writing. Her face mirrors that of Ronnie's initial one, as it pales, she was confused too.

"That's. That's Dan's writing, how did you get this?" Her voice comes out strong, even though inside she was petrified.

"It is hers. I knew it… Someone…A female left that for me…" Ronnie speaks quickly.

"What are you gettin' at? It aint Dan, it can't be, she's dead!" Stacey's temper rises, her defence mechanism.

Ronnie looks down; she knew that, did she just think she had forgotten. It was her baby. Ronnie grabs Stacey's arm pulling her with her, Stacey tries to protest but Ronnie says she needs to show her.

She takes her back to the club, opens up, and leads Stacey to the office… She opens her laptop and tries to find the spot on the DVD. It should be there she just left it, she keeps rewinding, she checks the time, it skips…What…

"No. No. It was there! She was there! Someone deleted it!" Ronnie yells slamming on the keys of the laptop trying but failing in finding the evidence she had just seen. She looks at Stacey who is looking at her concerned, with sympathy. With sympathy, sympathy from Stacey Slater, she did not believe her. Ronnie looks up at Stacey square in the eye, eyes somewhat pleading.

"I'm telling the truth, it was there! She was there. She left them for me."

Stacey holds her hands up trying to calm Ronnie, she says calmly.

"You've been through a lot Ronnie… No one would blame you if you wanted a card from your daughter on your birthday…"

Ronnie stands straighter eyes widening.

"What! You think I sent it myself! I wrote that card myself…Yeah and I'd come to you Stacey of all people just to be proven wrong!"

Stacey looks down a moment.

"No one would blame you…"

"I'm not crazy! I know what I saw…And I didn't send myself a present and a card… You even said yourself that was her writing!"

"But it's not her. It can't be Dan…"

"Then who is it! You tell me, who is sick enough to copy my daughter's handwriting and sneak into my club and leave me this DVD…it's not even brand new, it's somebody's own copy…" Ronnie looks to the door and races towards it saying.

"They had to have come back as I came to yours to get rid of the tape…"

Ronnie races outside. She looks around frantically, everywhere, she runs to the end off the road. She can't see anyone. She runs the opposite way, people are starting to stare at her, but she couldn't care. Stacey comes up behind her.

"Ronnie. There's no one here."

Ronnie turns to Stacey then looks around again, then back to Stacey.

"She couldn't have got far… I was only 5 minutes…"

Stacey lets out a breath and walks closer to Ronnie, touching her arm.

"Okay. If there was a 'woman'…she's long gone now. She could've been in a car you won't find her. Not now. Come on Ronnie…People are staring…" At that, Ronnie turns sharply to Stacey yelling.

"I don't care what people think! Do you think they care about me no they don't care. I'm just some cold heartless Mitchell who lost her daughter…"

Stacey looks down, people turn away, Ronnie shrugs Stacey off her.

"I'm not loosing my mind; the only thing I lost is my daughter… it doesn't mean I believe every woman I see to be her! I'm not imagining things. And I don't need your sympathy, or anybody else's…" With that said, she walks off back to the club.

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**So what do you think? Want more? Let me know thanks for reading :) x**


	2. Chapter 2

**hey guys thanks for your reviews and alerts they do mean a lot :) well heres a new update hope you like it let me know what you think please :)**

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She collapses in her seat, back at her desk. She stares at the laptop; she strums her fingers on table debating whether to or not, only a moment, before she lifts the laptop up again. She stares at it, thinking. She was gone for 5 minutes, how could someone delete part of a film in such a short amount of time. After staring at the screen for a further 5 minutes, but what seemed like hours, she still was none the wiser. Who the person was, what they wanted, how they did all this. She pops open the DVD slot on the laptop, her eyes focus on some writing on the disk.

"NOT YET."

She froze. The writing was the same, she could just tell, but that didn't make sense. None of it made any sense. Not yet? Not yet for what? She closed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose. This was not how she had planned to spend her birthday. She wasn't going to waste any more time at the club today she decided. With that decision made, she stood up, put her coat back on, and grabbed her bag, leaving the club for the final time tonight, and walked home.

She threw her coat onto the kitchen table along with her bag, but as she watched the bag make contact with the table, and open slightly, she saw the DVD…the card, Stacey still had it. She could not face her, not again, not today. She stared at the DVD, before cautiously reaching a hand out, and picking it out.

She looked at it in her hands and walked towards the TV, and knelt down, turning it on, she opened the DVD case, but paused as she was about to take it out; writing again caught her eye…The same bold black writing.

"WHAT YOU MISSED."

Something was scribbled out above it, she couldn't make it out, but her curiosity, or stupidity, she wasn't sure anymore, got the better of her, and she put the disk into the DVD player, and stood up, walking back to the coach she sat down, put the remote in her hand, and pressed play.

She could hear laughter, but all she could see was a black screen, the same laughter continued again, her heart tightened at the sound; a child's laughter, her brow furrows, she was going to turn it off, what cruel prank was this. Then a male voice came on. One she recognized.

"Take the cap off love; it's no good filming if you can't even see it." A small chuckled escaped him.

Rustling was heard, then a bright light. The sky could be made out, then the camera moved down. She gulped. Ronnie's eyes widened as her eyes landed on a little girl. Her blond flowing locks blowing in the wind. There was no mistaking who that girl was. Her baby, but how was this possible? She was stuck in a trance like state; she could not take her eyes off the screen. The camera turned to the man who put a hand in front of his face laughing. Walking towards the person holding the camera. His voice could be heard as he sat next to the person with the camera, who was sitting on some grass, in what looked like a back garden, a swing-set could be made out behind the girl, but her eyes hadn't left her, nothing else on the screen mattered, but that little girl, and clearly to not just her.

"Okay, you ready Lizzy; she's been working on it all morning…" A lighthearted chuckle was heard as he spoke, Ronnie cringed somewhat inside. What was this? She had not even realized but her eyes were filling with tears, and were on the verge of spilling.

She watched transfixed on the little girl who swayed slightly, her hands fidgeting with the bottom of her dress.

"Okay honey I'm ready when you are." A soft female voice spoke. That of a mother to a child. Ronnie's heart wrenched.

The girl smiled and ran towards the camera, the camera following her as she skipped into the back of a house.

She then appeared again, with a cake in her hands, on a plate. Ronnie was now numb; she could not describe what she was feeling at that moment. As she watched her baby walk towards the woman and man, she started singing.

"Happy birthday to you…" The tears were flowing freely now, she knew, and she couldn't stop them didn't want to.

A small smile could be seen on the girls face as she neared the two people… Her parents. The man. Andy. Stood up and walked towards her, to her baby, Danielle. He took the cake off her and placed it on a table behind him, where his wife was now sitting. He then motioned to her for him to take the camera, so she could blow out the candles, which he had just lit.

Her laughter filled her ears, touched her heart, as she saw her face on the screen again. She began singing, more confidently now.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Mum, happy birthday to you…" She giggled as a breath from the candles blew into her face.

Her head wrested onto the tables as giggles took over her. The camera stayed on the little girl, only briefly turning to the woman, Lizzy, as she blew the candles out, who then waved the camera away saying to film Danielle, whose head had just lifted from the table, at the mention of her name, the smile still on her face.

"Hey shall we have some of your cake Danni?" Andy's cheery voice could be heard.

A proud smile appeared on a young Danielle's face, and eagerness too.

"Okay, I'll take the cake in and cut some for the three of us… but first, finish what you practiced earlier, like we agreed…" he spoke encouragingly.

The camera focused on the little girl beaming at the camera, she began to wave to it, her teeth showing as she smiled. Ronnie could make out a bottom tooth was missing. She didn't have time to take in every single feature of her daughter, as she began to speak.

"Happy birthday Mummy who held me in her tummy…" She wanted to blink, was she hearing things…

"I hope you like the cake, Daddy said he'd send you some, along with this video…"

The little girls eyes turned upwards from the camera, obviously to that of Andy. Was it possible to feel your heart rip into two, when you were watching the most beautiful thing in the world?

"Come on Danni…" The voice of Andy tore through her now. Was it him? Did he send this? Was this some cruel joke, taunting her at the years she'd missed. But Danielle, what she was saying…Her voice broke her train of thoughts.

"I hope you have a nice day, and someone is looking after you…" She watches as Danielle bows her head. Ronnie has to wipe at her eyes quickly so she wouldn't miss a second of her baby. What she said next caused her to break down completely, sobs wracking her body.

The little head lifting, a shy smile on her face as she says.

"I love you mum."

Ronnie missed her little girl wave, and blow a kiss towards the TV, tears had blurred her vision now. The screen turns to black, crackling can be heard, but not to Ronnie, all Ronnie heard were those words. Those four words, aimed at her, not her other mother like she first thought. Danielle had told her briefly, that her parents told her when she was 8 that she had 2 mummies and 2 daddy's. She hadn't gone on any further than that about it, the subject obviously a sensitive one, now she knew why. It was all Danielle, caring, putting other's first, she saw first hand now that she had always had it. Had she been born with it? Minutes pass, and the sobs turn to silence, the tears still fall, it was a habit now. She thought she'd stopped, cried all the tears that she could.

She lifts her head to the screen, she stares at the black screen a short moment before her eyes dart to the remote. She turns to the screen, her eyes fixed, as flashes appear on the screen, then light, she quickly presses play.

"I love you mum…" Her lips stretch into a smile in spite of the pain she feels, the love she feels for her little girl, she couldn't deny her daughter a smile.

Her hand comes up to her face as a new round of sobs get caught in her throat as she watches her baby blow a kiss to her. Her hand reaches out, her hand clenching, as though grabbing the kiss. She slowly brings her hand up to her mouth, palm open, she touches her fingers to her lips. She sees Danielle start to wave again; she quickly reaches for the remote and pauses it, the screen freezes on the image of a young Danielle, possibly about 9 or 10. Her face, smiling, waving to her, like a photograph, the TV captures Danielle. Ronnie sits back into the couch, pulling her legs up into her chest as she stares lovingly, longingly, sorrowfully. As the tears continue to poor, she lets the smile on her face grow as she stares at her beautiful daughter. This was the best birthday present she could ever have wished for. She could not think of who was behind it, all reasons went out the window when she saw and heard her little girl. Whoever did this, whatever reasons they had? None of them mattered to Ronnie, all she could think of, was that after 19 years, she got her birthday wish.

Whoever was taunting Ronnie, she would find out, find out their reasons for doing this. Andy too, her anger and resentment towards that man was pushed aside for the time being, as she just wanted to take delight in the moment of being with her daughter on her birthday. The only way she could. The cries over took her as she thought on sadly, this was the only way she would be with her daughter now. She would never get to hear her voice on her birthday, hear her wish her a happy birthday, say she loved her. She cried. All the pain from the past 19 years, all the wishes gone unmet, all the memories she should have shared. She let it all out, all her sorrow and love, loss for her daughter; once again, she would cry herself to sleep.

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**:) hope you liked it, please let me know what you think :) thanks for reading x**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys thanks for all your reviews and that they great :) I was gonna post this last night but I felt it was too short, and wanted to add a bit more. So hope you don't mind the wait, here's the next bit :)**

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She woke up to an insistent banging on her door, she wanted to ignore it, but knew if she answered the quicker they would leave. She sat up and only then did she see the screen, still on the image of Danielle; she heard the banging again and quickly stood up, turning off the TV as she made her way downstairs to answer the door. Where she was met with a worried looking Roxy. Who smiled with relief when she saw her, ignoring her sisters blank stare, Roxy jump forward and pulled her sister into a hug whilst saying.

"I know you said you didn't want to celebrate your birthday, but you're my sister Ron, I can't not see you on your birthday… Aunty Peg's got Amy, I've got the booze, and you can pick the film." Roxy pulled back as she heard her sister whimper.

"What's wrong?" Ronnie shrugged of Roxy's concern.

"It's nothing…I've just watched a movie already." Roxy smiled and walked past Ronnie into the flat, leaving Ronnie no choice but to follow her up.

"I wasn't planning on sitting down all night anyway…" Roxy chatted away as she walked upstairs into the living room.

She knew her sister would need cheering up, so she would try her best to be there for her, because she knew she had let her down many a time, but now she needed her, and she wasn't going to let her down again.

Roxy saw the DVD case of Breakfast at Tiffany's on the table and picked it up smiling.

"I should've known it would be this film… Haven't watched it in ages, I'll have to borrow it off you…"

As soon as Ronnie realised what Roxy was holding, what it meant she quickly made a grab for the case, and shouted no. Shocking Roxy who just sat down watching Ronnie, with a puzzled look.

"Fine, if you don't want me to lend it, I'd just have to buy my own copy…Remind me to remember this moment when you next want to borrow anything of me." She knew she should not be petty with Ronnie, but Roxy's nature always won out.

Ronnie sat down beside Roxy; she held the case in her hand before giving the case to Roxy. She did not look at her as she spoke.

"It's not the film that I watched." Without another word said, Ronnie reached for the remote rewound the film and pressed play turning on the TV. It started from the beginning again. Ronnie took a deep breath. She had to confide in her sister, more than anything she had to know what she watched was real, that this wasn't some dream. Roxy chanced a quick look at Ronnie, and knew there was something more going on, she wanted to look at Ronnie and figure out what it was when a laugher filled her ears. Her eyes turned to the TV, and she was transfixed just like Ronnie was earlier.

"Is that…" Ronnie did not need to answer Roxy knew.

"How…Wow…" She was lost for words, but as the film went on and it reached the part, where Danielle came out with a birthday cake singing happy birthday. Her head snapped to her sister, whose eyes were stuck to the screen once more.

Roxy instantly reached out for her sister's hand, to comfort her in some way, how was this even possible. She heard Danielle laughing, and her Dad talking, she turned to see Danielle looking down shyly then she witnessed what made Ronnie breakdown, her eyes filling too as she heard Danielle say "Happy birthday Mummy who held me in her tummy…"…This was for Ronnie. Danielle was wishing her happy birthday and saying she loved her. A tear fell down Roxy's cheek as she tore her eyes away from the screen looking at Ronnie whose eyes were filling again.

"Oh Ron." Roxy squeezed Ronnie's hand. Ronnie shook her head, shaking her tears away, refusing to let them fall. She turned the TV off.

"Ron…" Roxy tried to get Ronnie to look at her, but she was just staring at a black screen now.

"I'm fine…" Her voice trembled as she spoke she was not fine.

Roxy took Ronnie's face in her hands forcing her to look at her. Ronnie saw the tears down Roxy's cheek, which made her eyes, fill again, Roxy stroked her cheeks.

"How long have you had this…? Why didn't you tell me…?" Ronnie squeezed her eyes shut, did Roxy think she had kept this from her for all these years.

"I got it today…" Ronnie's voice came out as a whisper. Roxy bit her lip before replying.

"What do you mean today…She's…Da…she's so young on there…" Roxy could not bring herself to say Danielle's name in front of Ronnie in fear that it would cause her to break down, but she needed to understand, so she could try to help her.

Ronnie shrugged her shoulders.

"Someone left it for me in my office this morning… I don't know who, I don't know why… All I know is that it isn't her, it isn't my baby…" At this, Ronnie broke down.

She fell into her sister's arms, Roxy wrapping her arms around Ronnie, trying to soothe her. She stroked her hair in the hope it would relax her, but as tears fell from Roxy's eyes still, she knew all they could do was cry, and hold onto each other, still holding onto what was no longer here. Danielle.

Moments, minutes, time passes by and the sisters still hold onto one another. Roxy decided to pull away however and question her sister.

"How did you get it, who sent it you?" Roxy questions, again Ronnie shrugs her shoulders, wiping her eyes, she sits back.

"Somebody snuck in the club this morning and left it on my desk." Roxy's eyes widen.

"What do you mean snuck in…"

"Somebody walked in the club, I don't know how, there was no evidence of a break in…The woman just left it on my desk and left…"

"What woman?" Roxy was finding it hard to take it all in.

"I don't know okay, there was a woman on the security tape… When I went back with Stacey though it was gone, she'd some how come back and replaced the security footage with an edited one."

Roxy's mouth opens.

"What! And you haven't called the police…" Roxy shakes her head bewildered. As does Ronnie who turns to look at her.

"And say what. There's no evidence of a break in, no evidence anyone left me the film…"

"But they got in some how. Ronnie you got to tell someone, what happens if they sneak in whist your there, what if they hurt you…"

"If they wanted to hurt me physically, they would have waited for me…"

Roxy can't believe her sister.

"I can't believe you, are you not even worried that someone can get into your club…That someone must have a key…"

Ronnie looks at Roxy surprised that thought hadn't even crossed her mind, of how the person got in.

"Right well, first thing we're gonna do is get those locks changed. The police can't help us, at least we can do something to help ourselves… Your gonna have to tell Jack…"

Ronnie shakes her head.

"No. No, he isn't to no okay."

Roxy shakes her head too.

"What's he gonna say when you suddenly decide to change the locks, you gotta tell him something."

Ronnie rubbed her forehead, she didn't have an answer to that yet. Roxy took the moment to talk again.

"He doesn't need to know what was on the disk okay, just tell him about the card…"

Ronnie turned to her sister, her lips twitch slightly, she nods.

"Okay, I'll tell him because he's gonna need to take care of the club whilst I'm away."

Roxy's eyebrows scrunch together in confusion.

"What do you mean, where are you going?"

"I need some answers." Ronnie looks at the TV then stands, Roxy follows her as Ronnie walks into the kitchen.

"Ron, where are you going?" Ronnie puts her coat on ignoring Roxy.

"Ron!" Roxy asks again frustratingly. Ronnie looks up at her.

"To see Jack about the locks… Then I'm going to Telford." Ronnie picks up her bag and walks back into the living room, towards the DVD player and take it out, placing it in the case then into her bag, as she stands Ronnie is faced with a confused Roxy, who looks on at her puzzled, her hands on her hips.

"Telford…Isn't that where Danielle…"

"Where Danielle adoptive family lives. Yeah."

Ronnie starts to make her way out the room, but as she tries to pass Roxy, she grabs her arm stopping her.

"Why are you going there? You can't just show up… You've just …"

"I'm fine!" Ronnie snaps. She sighs and continues more softly.

"He's the only person who can tell me why I only got this tape today and not 10 years ago…" Roxy's face softens, she lets go of Ronnie's arm.

Ronnie walks to the door and pauses, turning back to her sister.

"I'm sorry if I'm ruining your plans… But I need to do this, if there's a chance… I just need to know. I'll need to stop off at Stacey's too."

She says the last part more to herself. She would have to get the card, she would have to show that Andy to. Did he send it? Did he hire someone to break in…? Surely, it was not him; he did not seem the type. Yet she did not really know him. Grief did strange things to people, and Andy did blame her. She winced slightly at that memory. Roxy followed Ronnie outside, as she locked up, she watched on helplessly, she wanted to help her, her sister was still in so much pain, but something's you just had to find out on your own. It appeared now was no different. Roxy stayed at the bottom of the steps and watched as Ronnie walked away towards the square, towards the Slater's no doubt. She just hoped that what lay in Telford was some answers not more pain.

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**There we go, hope you liked it, again reviews are a love :) An update should be up soon. Thanks for reading x**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone thanks for all your reviews and everything they mean alot :) I wanted to update this before I started to get ready and go out to watch The Fray in concert :D Well excited lol...Well anyway hope your excited about this and enjoy :)....**

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Colors were just a blur as she zoomed down the roads to get to Telford, she did not even know how much time had past, she had to stop once to fill up her bike, but then she had said nothing, just numbly paid her money and off she went.

She wasn't even sure if she remembered where Danielle use to live, she had the address memorized but how she got there she wasn't sure, like her instincts were just taking her. Her heart; back to Danielle, where she lay. She had entered an estate and drove further into it, until she arrived at the house, which was hers. Stopping outside, she took a deep breath, if this was it, if he did send them to her, what then, she wasn't sure if she did want it to be him, a part of her did, the other, if it wasn't just held too many possibilities, and she wasn't sure if she could handle the true outcome of them.

She took another deep breath as she waited, having knocked on the door just a moment before. A shadow now appeared the face of Danielle's adoptive Father stood before her.

He looked at her surprised, slightly irritated.

"What are you doing here; I thought you'd got all the answers you needed."

Ronnie was taken aback, she knew Danielle's adoptive father had not taken to her the first time he met her, even blamed her at first, but she had thought he would have been more supportive now, less hostile. If not for her then Danielle, she was her mother, maybe that was the reason, she'd never truly get any true feelings from him, because she was the one that ruined his perfect little bubble, his belief that Danielle wasn't some unwanted baby, wasn't his baby. That Ronnie still needed answers, but now it was not solely about Danielle's past.

"I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on something for me."

Andy stood still, not showing much emotion as he debated, before stepping aside and allowing Ronnie into his house. They entered the living room, where Andy turned to her.

"What do you want? I've showed you her photos, her room, where she grew up, there can't be much more you need to know."

At this Ronnie wanted to yell, scream at him, tell him she wanted to know everything, all her dreams, when she was upset what comforted her, how she slept, when did she take her first steps, where did she take them. What were her first words, she did not care if the words weren't her name, it was a moment in her baby's life that she missed, and wanted to know. However, for now, she let it lie; she needed answers for her own piece of mind if anything. She took of her rucksack, and opened it up, placing it on the couch and pulling out the DVD; she held it out for Andy, who then stepped back in shock.

"This is Danni's, how, how did you get it… Did you steal it the day of the funeral?"

Andy starts rambling his voice raising trying to find some reason to why she would have this.

"I thought it was mine."

"Yours! Just because she was your daughter doesn't make her things yours!"

Ronnie stands shaking her head, as Andy starts to walk towards her raising the DVD as he spoke, his face turning red in anger.

"Now hold on! I didn't _steal_ anything. Someone broke into my club and left that DVD for me… It's not even that film."

Andy takes a deep breath calming down; he tries to take in what she had just said.

"What do you mean someone broke into your club?"

Ronnie rubs her head and sits down sighing.

"I thought it was my sister leaving me a birthday present… when I opened it and saw what was inside… I checked the security tape and… I saw a woman just walk into my office at gone 4 in the morning and leave it on my desk."

"That's impossible. This is Danni's DVD, it was in her room after she had died, I saw it…I…That's…"

"Why I came here to you… I thought maybe…"

"I had something to do with it?"

Ronnie looked down, Andy sighed. Ronnie turned to her bag and pulled out the birthday card.

"This is why I thought… I don't know, you're the only person that…"

Ronnie trails off, handing Andy the card, not being able to find the right words. Andy's face pales. He gulps. He opens his mouth but no words come out. He raises a hand to his mouth as he catches his breath.

"This is Danni's writing, this is hers. How did…How is this possible… A woman you say, a woman left this for you… But why, what…"

Ronnie shakes her head.

"I don't know… the film, I thought, maybe it was you feeling guilty, or…"

"Guilty… What do I have to feel guilty for?" His voice rising ever so slightly.

"Not sending me the film before…" Andy looks at her confused. He opens the case and stares at it, his confusion growing as he sees the writing.

He walks over to the TV and places it in the DVD player. He stands up after turning everything on and waits, as the black screen comes on and he hears the laughter. He holds his mouth again, tears springing to his eyes.

His eyes never leave the screen as he watches the film, as does Ronnie, when the film is over Andy turns to Ronnie, his eyes watering. He's surprised to see tears falling from Ronnie's eyes. He thought she was cold; maybe she wasn't all that different from Danni, after all that is what Danni had told him herself.

Andy goes and sits next to Ronnie at a loss for words. Although now it made sense why she would think him, why she would think he was guilty… However, wait, now he was again confused.

"But we sent you that film when Danni was little. Not long after it was filmed…"

Now it was Ronnie's turn to be confused.

"Today is the first I've seen of it."

"No. No. We, it was in the kitchen with a letter Danni had written, saying you could come see her anytime you wanted. We agreed it was what she wanted… Not long though, it was still in the kitchen waiting to be sent… Lizzie had a fall… At the hospital… The doctors discovered she had cancer… They started treatment right away… I forgot all about the film… Until one day I was in the kitchen and I felt something was missing, I realised it was the film… I just assumed Lizzie had sent it… I never mentioned it, she hadn't to me… And when we heard nothing from you… Danni didn't ask about you, I just thought you didn't want to know, and Danni stopped…"

Ronnie clutches her locket, she could have been with her baby earlier, but why, it was so cruel, when she could've been with her she didn't know that she could, and when her daughter was with her she still didn't know. She couldn't be the mother that her daughter wanted her to be, what she wanted to be. Another tear fell from Ronnie's eyes. She squeezed them shut.

Ronnie didn't say anything. What did she say to that? Andy shook his head, none of this made any sense, and now he was feeling blameworthy, feeling compassion towards the woman he had long since loathed.

"I should have asked… But Lizzie… She, she wouldn't have kept the film from you… She wouldn't… Why is it in this case, Danni…She must have had it…"

Andy was talking away more so too himself. Ronnie was listening to everything he was saying, but when he said Danielle's name her head snapped up, she was looking at him. He looked at her.

"Danni, she's the only one who knew about the film… She must have kept the film as her mum was sick, afraid that if you came, her mum would feel unwanted… That's just like Danni, always putting others before herself… That's why once Lizzie passed away; she must have gone to look for you…"

Both Ronnie and Andy try to take in what they have just heard, Danni was the only one who knew, was the only one who could write that, whose writing it was, who knew them both, it wasn't impossible that someone copied the writing, yet that was more possible than it being Danielle, because Danielle was dead. Wasn't she, yes she was? She had seen her with her own eyes on that slab. Ronnie clutched her locket tighter.

Andy sighed and held his head.

"But it can't be Danielle, someone must be doing this to you…Someone…Someone must have broke into my house too...Danielle's room!" Andy stands quickly walking to the door, Ronnie looks after him puzzled but quickly follows him, upstairs, she finds him in Danielle's room looking around.

"Nothing's out off place… Nothing… The person must have known where to look, how to get in… I would have known how is this possible!"

Ronnie closes her eyes briefly, she had hoped she would get some answers coming it, but it seemed she was just as more confused and none the wiser to whom was doing this to her.

A gentle breeze was blowing in the room, Ronnie's eyes engrossed by the gentle sway of the curtains. Andy turned to her confused as to what she was looking at, until he himself looked. Andy's eyes widened and he raced towards the window muttering that it wasn't open, that someone had opened it.

He stopped at the window closing it. Letting out a deep breath as he did so, he paused, his eyes focused on something that was flapping in the wind, but now had stopped. He looked at a me to you bear ornament; there was a piece of paper underneath. He took the paper slowly, now Ronnie was watching him, wondering what was wrong.

He turned to her, his face one of utter shock and disbelief.

He handed Ronnie a piece of paper.

"_I only took what was hers."_

Ronnie's eyes widen.

"What is this?" Her voice raising an octave.

"I think it's about you." His voice, unsure of himself, slightly shaky as he spoke.

"But it's the same writing again… What does it mean…? Why is this happening to me? Who is doing this to me?"

More tears spill as Ronnie clutches her locket with both hands, her knees buckle underneath her, and she kneels on the floor, letting her tears fall. What was happening, why was this happening? Who would want to pretend to be her dead daughter, and do it so believingly. The writing the exact match. Was this all to make her believe she was going mad? Well, who ever it was they were getting their wish. She felt crazier than ever, doubting herself, and that of other, what she had seen. She needed answers, but she was out of ideas as to where to look. Andy just watched on, feeling slightly uncomfortable at witnessing Ronnie's small breakdown, and feeling confused and worried as to what all this meant.

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**Hope you liked it :) Let me know what you think an update will probably be during the week as it's my birthday 2moz and I'm out 2nite, hope you can review and let me know what you think. Much appreciated, thanks for reading :) x**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys, here's the next update glad you like it, hope you still want more of it. I'll try and get another update soon if I can but I'm going away on Monday for the week so if it's not up 2moz, then it will be the week after. Okay well here it is enjoy :)**

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**...**

An hour had passed and Ronnie was sitting in the living room with a cup of coffee, and standing anxiously watching her, neither had spoken much since Ronnie had her cry upstairs.

"What are we gonna do?" Andy speaks nervously.

Ronnie lifts her head turning to Andy.

"We?"

"Yes we. She was my daughter too; whoever is doing this is messing with me too. They've been in my house…" Ronnie didn't say anything just watched as Andy ran a hand over his face.

"We need to ring the police."

"What?" Ronnie finally speaks.

"The police, we need to tell them… they must be able to do something…" Andy nods his head mumbling to himself.

"And tell them what? They'll think we're crazy, think we're grieving."

"But, you said you saw the person on the security tape…" Andy questions Ronnie. Who places her coffee on the table.

"Whoever it was, came back as I was out. Changed the tape… There is no proof anyone was there… That anyone left these. So the police will be of no use."

Ronnie says someone confidently, yet, it didn't help her in the slightest, was this what the person wanted, so she couldn't go to the police. Who ever it was, had thought about this very carefully. Hopefully not too carefully, and they would make a slip up soon. Or not at all, as this whole thing would stop.

"How could they do that?" Andy looks at Ronnie doubtfully. Ronnie sees this and stands shaking her head.

"I don't know, but they did… Look, if you can't deal with this, I'll do this on my own… Whoever it is, I'm the person they want to get at, you're just the guy with the goods."

Ronnie somewhat coldly tells Andy, who straightens, face-reddening hearing Ronnie's words.

"'Cos everything's about you isn't it. Nobody else just you." Andy replies just as coldly, but a hint of hurt.

Ronnie shakes her head, letting out a small laugh. She turns and walks to the TV.

"What are you doing…Stop…" Andy steps forward, stuttering slightly. Ronnie ignores him.

She crouches to the DVD player and takes out the DVD, and places it in the case and holds it in her hands. She turns looking at Andy. Her face, still her eyes showing the only emotion, sadness, fortitude.

"I'm taking what's mine."

No more words shared between the two, no goodbye courteous exchanges, Ronnie turns and exits the house. Andy staring after her, so much, he wished that today hadn't happened, so much he wished to not want, to not want to believe. He wasn't sure what he believed, but it was better than yesterday, the day when there was no hope. Surely, that's what today brought wasn't it. He wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

Neither did Ronnie. She had no answers, just more questions. What would wait for her at home now? Would she go back home and find another note? Another 'gift'. Did she have to start watching her back? As she was driving, she found that she checked her mirrors, more than she had before. She hated this feeling, the not knowing, for years it had haunted her. Not knowing where, her baby was, what she looked like, and everything else in between, she was never good at surprises either. Secrets; even though they had been kept with good intentions, she never liked the thought that people could keep things from her so easily, it always made her wonder what else they were keeping secret.

Her mum had said to her once, sometimes good things are just what they are, there are no hidden motives, hidden meanings, sometimes people just do a good thing because they want too. You should learn to accept things more, open yourself up more. You'll never reap the benefits otherwise.

When her mum left, she found know reason to believe that anymore. She just proved that people always have surprises up their sleeves, that you can never trust someone at face value. She was her mum, she trusted her, loved her, and she just left her. Therefore, everything her mum had told her went out the window, and she became who she was today. Closed off from everyone, expecting nothing from no one, because, when they surprise you with something, you're not going to be disappointed if you don't like what it is.

Why set yourself up for disappointment, why open your heart up to people. In the end, you just get hurt. Either way it ends.

As she arrived home, it was dark now, but Ronnie caught Roxy leaving her house, she slowed down, and hesitated before leaving her bike, and approaching her. Roxy having seen Ronnie arriving waited apprehensively for her, holding something in her hand. Ronnie closed her eyes, praying just for one moment that it had nothing to do with this, nothing to do with Danielle.

Once Ronnie stood before her sister, she wished anything that it was to do with Danielle, the person keeping her memory alive. Yet what her sister gave her next, was the next best thing, or better she thought over, as she looked at the photo booth pictures of Danielle on her own, and a framed picture of Danielle with Amy.

Ronnie couldn't suppress the tears that filled her eyes, and begged to fall, as her fingers traced over Danielle's face in the framed picture, she allowed the tears to fall.

She looked up at Roxy who was quite emotional too; she gave her a watery smile.

"Why don't we go inside you can look at it better." Roxy suggests with a comforting smile.

Ronnie nods, and leads Roxy upstairs, where the pair look over the photos with love. Roxy points to one of the pictures of Danielle on her own on the smaller photos, and suggests to Ronnie.

"You should be able to put one of those in your locket, beside the other picture."

Ronnie looks at the pictures in her hands, then to Roxy, who placed her hand on her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I should really be getting back to the Vic; I said I wouldn't be long, left Amy with Phil… You gonna be okay Ron?"

Ronnie nods at her sister, she tears her eyes away from the pictures to look at Roxy and give her a small smile.

"Yeah, go, I'll be fine."

Roxy rubs Ronnie's arm and gives her a kind smile then stands, as she reaches the door she turns to Ronnie.

"Happy birthday Ron."

The sisters share a meaningful look, then Roxy leaves, Ronnie looks back to the pictures in her hands, and she places them on the table in front. Her hands reach up and around her neck; she undoes the locket, and places it on the table before her. She stands and makes her way to the kitchen to find a pair of scissors. As she makes her way back, and she sits back down, looking over the pictures, she didn't want to cut them and ruin them, but having a recent picture of Danielle close to her heart meant the world to her. Therefore, she cut the picture off at the bottom, one of Danielle beaming up at the camera, she carefully cuts out an oval shape, Danielle's face clearly seen, and she places it in her locket, beside the baby picture. One last longing look at the pictures, she then closes it, placing it back, aptly around her neck.

**…**

Two months passed, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened. At first Ronnie was slightly tense going back to work in the club, but as she did, nothing happened, and nothing did for the rest of the week. She began to relax, but it was always in the back of her mind, and she would find herself looking over her shoulder every now and then.

It was the beginning of September; Ben had started back at school, as had the rest of the squares children. The club had been busy, having a few hen parties and stag dos, and a couple of birthday parties. Ronnie had been her usual reserved self. Roxy had tried talking to her about Danielle and the things she had left her. Ronnie had just snapped. Telling Roxy to butt out and stop bringing up the impossible. Her daughter was dead. She deserved some respect. After that, things had been a little sensitive between the two. They had kept their distance for a while, when close, said very little. Things had reverted to how things were before the wedding, Ronnie keeping herself to herself, and not letting anyone in.

Jack had tried talking to Ronnie, knowing something had happened, but got the same treatment, and decided it was too hard to try to break her icy exterior. If it were meant to break, it would break on its own; he clearly wasn't the person to do it.

It was a Thursday night, September 10th to be precise, and Ronnie was working late at R&R in preparation for tomorrow night. They had a themed night on. Masquerade Night. It was a little daunting, but it would work out. Most of the woman were just going to wear little eye masks, and the ones you held in your hands. Ronnie just hoped things wouldn't get out of hand, as they tend to do on themed nights. People getting carried away, lost in the moment, thinking they were invincible or something, untouchable. As people hide behind masks and can pretend to be anyone else.

Ronnie had decided to call it a night; she could finish the rest tomorrow with Jack's help.

She was walking home, it was dark now, and she held her coat tightly to her, the night air getting to her.

Walking round the corner her eyes glanced over the wall, she paused, and there was some graffiti. Graffiti was normal around these parts, getting closer to the tube, but something about this writing caught her eye. Written in large red spray paint were the words 23. Ronnie stared at it a moment but shook her head. Probably gang related or something.

She continued her walk, holding her coat tightly, wrapping her arms around herself, as though protecting herself from what was coming. She was about to walk past the spot her daughter died. She didn't know why she walked this way every night. It was longer, out of her way, yet she always found herself walking this way. Maybe subconsciously it was to keep the night fresh in her mind, somehow never forgetting Danielle.

She continued her walk, letting out a small yawn. She paused, stopping now, having reached the spot, where she had yelled Danielle's name, watched her smile in relief that she knew, she called her baby, in that one moment, they both had gotten everything they had ever wanted. Each other. She closed her eyes tightly as the next part came into her mind, not having to watch her daughter be cruelly snatched away from her again, she continued on her walk. Yet something caught her eye as she walked forward.

A flower lying in the middle of the road, to any passer by, they would not pay it any attention, thinking it some random flower having been dropped. However, Ronnie noticed. The average passer by had not sat in that very same spot as they held their dying daughter in their arms. That is why Ronnie stopped. She had learnt recently that coincidences rarely happened, everything happened for a reason, even if you could not explain it.

She warily walks over to it, as she stands above it, she sees that it wasn't just an accident, it hadn't just fallen, it was wrapped in cellophane like it had just been bought from a shop. Who would drop something they had just bought. Her curiosity, or fear, takes over her and she bends down and picks it up. She walks to the side, near a lamppost, so she could see it clearer, there was a card stuck to the cellophane. She takes it of carefully and reads it.

"_**162**_"

Was written in big bold, black letters.

She looks at it strangely; she takes in the flower, a single rose. She looked around, to see if there was anyone near. She saw no one. She was alone. What did this mean? She shook her head and placed the card in her pocket, and looked at the flower.

She then turns and walks towards a spot on the opposite side, near some railings, where some dying flowers still lay, having not been disposed off. She lays the rose down in between the others. Taking her time as she did, she let her fingers trace over the other flowers, careful not to damage the already fragile petals. She kept herself composed, as she took in the words that could still be read on one of the cards.

"So young, so tragic. Couldn't have happened to a nicer person. The heavens are lucky to have an angel like you. We were lucky to have known you at all… Forever in our hearts. Rest in peace. Robin."

Robin? Who was Robin? A friend of Danielle's? Ronnie wiped at a tear that had fallen having read that. She couldn't remember having read it before. It must have been known. Yet, the flowers were dying, so it couldn't have been that recent. She took one last look at the flowers before straightening herself, and making her way back to her house.

Once back at home, she takes her keys, and phone, out of her pocket and feels the card, she pulls it out, and looks at it again.

"_**162**_" She considers throwing it in the bin, but instead she turns and places it in a draw. She then hangs her coat up, and tries to forget about what she had just experienced.

She had a party tomorrow, it was already late, she would need her energy tomorrow. So, with that decided, she headed in the direction of her room, and went to sleep.

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**Good? Bad? i would really appreciate your thoughts. Now the next chapter will be the party...**_"A mask is a tool; they can be used to conceal and protect or to reveal. Whether to replace one's identity or simply to veil it. A mask is a means to hide your true self, the anonymity a mask creates, can serve useful purposes but in others, they cause harm, especially if they are being used deceptively. It greatly changes how you behave, either out of cowardness or out of evil. You can find comfort and solace in that the world does not know who you really are."_

T !-- /* Style Definitions */ , , {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} 1 {page:Section1;} --

**As the party provides the perfect opportunity to interact with certain people without revealing themselves. Will a mask really hide the person behind it. Is it pushing it too close? Will all be revealed? Will the mask slip? Review, and an update shall reveal some answers. :) Thanks for reading :) x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, first off, I want to apologise for the late update. I started work out in Manchester on Monday and its a very long day, I'm up at 6.30 and don't get home until at least 7.30 at night so I've not been in the mood to write. BUT, good news I am now, and will definitely find the time to update sooner. As an apology this chapter is extra long, i hope you don't mind :) once again thanks for your reviews they always make me smile, I'm so glad you are enjoying it. I hope you enjoy this chapter :) x**

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...

The party was in full swing, it was packed with people, and people were still trying to get in too. Ronnie was rushed of her feet, having to help behind the bar because of how many people were there.

She had seen Stacey; she had sold her a drink. She was dressed as usual in a skimpy, very revealing outfit, and small eye mask. She was on her own, but no doubt for long, finding some poor bloke to cop off with for the night.

She enjoyed working as it took her mind of her problems, because working behind the bar was none stop, you had no time to daydream, for that, she was grateful.

Stacey Slater. The town bike, she had been called many a time. Now, if someone called it her, she wouldn't disagree, since Danielle's death she had sought comfort in the arms of men. Any one man, just for one night the pain of her friend's death would fade for a few hours.

Even now, the pain was still there. Being out clubbing just wasn't the same without Danielle. Tonight she just really wasn't in the mood. The quality of men out to night might have had a little to do with it. It was hard when most of the guys had masks on, you weren't sure who you were kissing, could end up being some 40 year old guy, or some hormonal pimpled teen. For those reasons alone, she wasn't too keen to go kissing just anyone.

Stacey finished her drink and walked off to the toilets. Back at the bar, Ronnie had just finished serving someone, when she turned around the next customer was someone in a fully fledge batman costume. Some people just took masked parties too literally; many who wore outfits like this were closet geeks. She held back a giggle, but couldn't help the smile that formed its way onto her face.

She couldn't hold back her laughter further once she heard the person ask for a beer. She looked at the person curiously. Then let out a small giggle.

"Ian Beale, is that you. I know you like role-play Ian, but I think its best you keep it in the bedroom." Her laughter intensified as the person shook there head.

"I don't know what you're on about. Can you just give me the beer please?" The person stuttered.

Ronnie let the smile on her face grow as she thought of a way to further, embarrass Ian. She wouldn't let him get off lightly; this was opportunity not to miss.

"You'll have to take your mask off. I need to see your face… Standard practice you see, wearing an outfit like that I can't take my chances your some underage teen."

Ronnie let out another laugh as the person huffed.

"Look I just came in for a beer it's not a crime is it."

"No it's not, and if you just take your mask off so I can judge how old you are we wont have a problem." She smirked.

Another huff was heard and the person started moaning as they began to lift there arms hesitantly. Soon the mask was off, and Ronnie let out a long laugh. Ian Beale stood before her red faced.

Ronnie handed Ian his beer. He took it giving her the money. He gave her an irritable look. As she handed Ian his beer, she took this opportunity to further his embarrassment.

"Our very own caped crusader. I know you're a busy body Ian, but I didn't think you were that keen on keeping this place safe." She laughed.

Ian gave her an irked look.

"You Mitchells never change. You knew it was me, did you really have to go through all that…"

Ronnie could see Jane approaching, in a flamboyant outfit. She was laughing, with Tanya who was close behind her.

"Come on Ian, what's taking you so long. You're not trying to haggle the prices lower are you?" Laughed Tanya, Jane laughed along. Ian huffed again.

"You know I knew coming out with you two would be a mistake. You've not stopped laughing at me all night; I come here and get hassle of Mitchell over there… You know what…" Jane raises her hand Ian stops ranting.

"Give it a rest Ian. We're only having a joke. Lighten up." The alcohol in Jane's system, making her, speak her mind.

Tanya lets out a loud laugh. Ian pulls a face.

"Yeah Ian, keep this up, Jane won't let you keep that outfit on in the bedroom." Both Ian and Jane turned red. Tanya started laughing, Jane shot her a look, but she just shook her head and continued laughing.

Ian turned to face Ronnie, his annoyance growing, feeling humiliated he was enraged.

"You know what, I thought after everything that's happened you might've change. But, no, you Mitchell's are all the same. You make everyone else's life a misery… That girl of ours had a lucky escape." He ranted.

He regretted saying what he did as he heard it leave his lips. Knowing he had pushed it too far. Ronnie's face, blank, unpredictable, he wasn't sure how she was going to react to him. Yet Jane, he knew. Her face, livid, she shook her head distastefully, and grabbed his arm. He looked at Jane guiltily. Tanya watched on unsure what to do, feeling uncomfortable, and sorry for Ronnie. Ian never did think after he spat his dummy out of his pram.

Jane began apologising to a still blank Ronnie, as she began to drag Ian away, who started trying to defend himself as best as he could. Even he knew he had gone too far, and would no doubt have to apologise to Ronnie sometime soon.

Tanya watched Jane drag Ian away; she knew when Ian decided to come that it wouldn't be as good a night as it would've been. The killjoy that Ian is, she was proved right now, as she turned to face Ronnie. She felt she should apologise too, but as she looked at Ronnie, she felt her words would be of no comfort to her. She probably wouldn't even acknowledge her if she did speak, she appeared to be in some trancelike state. Her eyes clearly ready to spill with tears.

"Hey, can I have two Carlsberg, two vodkas and a blue wkd please." Tanya turned to see a guy shouting to Ronnie.

Ronnie shook her head. Snapping herself out of it. She began to compose herself. She turned to the man, apologised and asked again for his order. He rolled his eyes but relented and told Ronnie who turned and began getting his order. Tanya took this opportunity to leave, she'd call Jane on the way, see if she wanted to come over to hers and have some wine. As she was leaving, some person knocked her shoulder, making her tumble slightly. She looked up to see the back of a figure running away fleeing the club.

She didn't allow herself to think much of it until she saw Stacey running across the floor. She stopped near the stairs, and she turned to Tanya, who could see Stacey had a bloody lip, and her eyes were wild.

"Have you seen someone run past here?" Stacey spoke quickly.

Tanya nodded. She wasn't sure what had gone on, but clearly, Stacey and that person had had some kind of disagreement.

"Yeah, someone just pushed past me now, ran up the stairs."

Stacey turned quickly and ran up the stairs. She didn't have time to thank Tanya. She was still trying to comprehend what she saw, what she had walked out on. Everything that happened, it had happened so quickly, she didn't have time to think now though, as she raced up the stairs. She had to catch her.

Her heart pounded in her chest, as she raced up the stairs. She couldn't be that far. She had to catch her. She ran past the security guards on the door, and began looking left and right. She could only see people who were queuing up trying to get in the club. She couldn't see her. She grunt and kicked the floor in frustration. She had, got away.

She ran to the security guard, asking him did he see which way a girl had just ran. That she had left just a minute before her.

He shrugged his shoulders telling her he was too busy doing his job watching the people outside trying to get in, he couldn't care about the ones coming out.

Stacey let out another groan, she was so close, she was about to give up looking, it was no use; she had lost her, when a voice in the line called out to her.

"Hey, I saw a girl run out there just now. Saw where she went too."

Stacey faced the lad who must have been in his early 20s around her age. She began to walk towards him eagerly.

"Where. Which way did she go?"

The lad smirked.

"You get me in there and I'll tell ya."

Stacey rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. She grabbed the guy by the collar of his shirt.

"Look. You're gonna get in that club sometime tonight anyway. I need to find that girl now, so what harm is waiting an extra 5 minutes to get in gonna do." Stacey gritted her teeth. She didn't have time for some stupid boy's game.

The lad smirked again.

"True. I can wait. But, I don't think you can." He says cockily.

Stacey pushes against the lad's chest. She releases him with a groan.

"Just tell me now, where she went or you'll never step foot in that club again. I know the owner, and what I'm doing is helping her, and if I don't find that girl, well, like I said, you'll never step foot in that club again."

Stacey hoped that it would work, that the guy would tell her. She had nothing else left now. If he didn't tell her she was running out of time, and if she ran one way, she might have ran the other.

The guy let out a sigh, and ran a hand over his face. He pointed forward behind Stacey.

"She went that way. I'd hurry if I was you, the speed she was running, never seen a girl run that fast, especially in heals."

Stacey turned sharply and ran as fast as she could in the direction he had said. She was breathing heavily; her feet were pounding, as well as her heart in her ears.

She rounded the corner, and saw a figure in the distance walking. She picked up her speed, and as she got closer to the person, she grabbed them from behind spinning them round to face them. Never letting go off them.

She was met with a scared looking girl. However, it wasn't the one she wanted. She immediately let go of her. The girl not relaxing. Stacey sighed.

"I'm sorry; I thought you were someone else." Stacey turned around having gave the girl an apologetic smile.

She looked around and let out a deep breath. Her breathing evening out as she rested. She dropped her head, looking at the floor; she couldn't believe she had lost her. Telling Ronnie now just didn't seem fair, she had nothing more to tell her than she didn't know already. She began to walk back to the club displeased with herself.

How could she tell Ronnie that she was stood in front of her? She lost her. How did she loose her? If only she was quicker.

***…Flashback…***

She had just gone into the toilet. She heard the door go and someone come in. Probably touching up their make up she thought, as they didn't enter either cubicle beside her.

She was standing struggling with her zip slightly but she finally managed to zip it up. She opened the door and walked out with her head down as she straightened her dress.

As she looked up, she saw some woman with her back to her. She quickly turned as she heard Stacey exit. She probably thought no one was in, or exiting any time soon, as Stacey had already flushed her toilet before this person came in. She'd been struggling with her dress for about 4 minutes.

Stacey took in the person. Her lips stood out; there was something familiar about them. She shook her head and ridiculed herself silently. As she looked past the person, as she tried to make her way to the sink, she noticed the mirror.

It had large read writing on it. From lipstick. She looked to the woman facing her, who held a lipstick. She was just frozen, staring at her. Stacey looked again to the writing.

"Missed me? l"… or was that a beginning of an r. Either way, this was meant for Ronnie. She was the only person who had been getting weird stuff sent her these past weeks.

Stacey now looked at this person accusingly. Her anger rising. This was the person pretending to be Danielle.

"Who the hell are you?" Stacey points her finger at the woman, her temper and voice rising.

The woman doesn't move, nor speak. Stacey lets out a small sarcastic laugh.

"What, cat got your tongue? Not got the bottle when you're actually facing someone, you send letters, and leave messages. Pretending to be a dead girl. My best mate!" Stacey seethes.

Stacey could see the woman's chest rising. Obviously panicking, having been caught. Stacey snorted.

"Come on tell me, who the hell are you, why are you doing this. You got 1 minute before I drag you out there, and you can face Ronnie. Tell her your little message face to face."

The woman shakes her head quickly and drops the lipstick. Before Stacey can react, she feels a fist make contact with her jaw her lip presses against her teeth, and she can feel it cut. She falls backwards, onto the floor. She puts her hands out to soften the impact, but it doesn't help much, as she wasn't quick enough. She makes impact with the floor. She rests her forehead against the floor, as she catches her breath.

She soon stands. Her anger rising, as she remembers exactly who this person was. Also, she was Stacey Slater. She didn't let anyone hit her and get away with it. She ran out the toilets, chasing after the woman.

*…End of flashback…*

Stacey reached the club and made her way back in, and towards the bar. She found Ronnie, who was currently serving someone. Once Ronnie finished serving the person, she saw Stacey and made her way over to her.

"What can I get you Stacey?" Ronnie inquires.

Stacey shakes her head, Ronnie eyebrows curve slightly, curiously.

"We need to talk." Stacey states rather bluntly.

Ronnie shrugs her shoulders.

"Well I'm rather busy at the moment…" Stacey cuts her off.

"She was here."

Ronnie arches her eyebrow.

"Who was here?" She questions.

"The woman sending you those stuff. Danielle's stuff."

Stacey raises her voice, she knew she shouldn't have, she was still annoyed with herself at having lost the woman, and was taking her frustration out on Ronnie. Who wasn't making it nay easier for her by not agreeing straight away?

Ronnie's face falls, but then her back straightens, her shoulders go back, and she looks out into the club searchingly.

"It's no use she aint here."

Ronnie's eyes dart back to Stacey as she looks at her disbelievingly.

"What? You just let her go?"

Stacey licks her lips and lets out a huff. Typical.

"Yeah. I just let her go. I even corrected her spellin' on the message she left you in the mirror…" Stacey replied sarcastically but was cut off by Ronnie.

"What message?" Ronnie's heart started to pump faster. She was in here. She was back. What had she wrote this time? Why was she doing this?

"I told you we needed to talk." Ronnie nods. She gulps as she looks at the bar staff, and into the bar, and the amount of people. They weren't as important as this though. She needed this more. She nodded again, as if confirming with herself that she was doing the right thing.

She made her way out from behind the bar. Stacey following her. Ronnie began to make her way to her office but Stacey shouted her, and gestured to the toilets.

"You may want to see the message first."

Ronnie again nods and follows Stacey into the toilets. She could feel her palms beginning to sweat; nervously she began to fiddle with her locket around her neck. The anticipation for what she was about to see, she didn't even know what it was, but it was growing by the second, as the seconds went by as she neared the door. She hesitated as Stacey held the door open for her. She gulped. If she turned away, she could pretend she never knew about it, she had never been here. But, she didn't want that, she would always want to know what she wanted to say to her. What, she was trying to tell her. She'd never stop wanting to know who this person was, until she knew. She had that right.

If only Stacey had carried on moments before, past that woman, the one she had grabbed, but then turned around heading back, she would have found the one she had wanted. Ronnie would have been able to get her answers and a lot more. As the person was sat only meters away, around the next corner, on a bench tears falling gently from their face, their mask fallen, in their hands. She was exposed, for the entire world to see, but nobody was there, nobody was looking. Nobody knew.

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**:) So was it any good? Who is this person ;p What are all these messages? What is this person trying to say? If anyone has any ideas what the numbers, and the messages mean, I'd love to read your theories, and thoughts on this fic :) Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it x**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, so sorry haven't updated in a while been really busy with work not got home till late and just been really tiered, and what lovely weather we've had this weekend I had to go out lmao... BUT i did want to get an update up for you lovely people, i must apologise at its length, but as they say quality not quantity, and i hope you think its quality lmaooo. Plus the next chapter is a pretty important one, things start to unravel and pick up speed then so you got things to look forward to. Well, without anymore chatting here's the chapter, enjoy :)**

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"Missed me? What? Does she mean the letters, I don't get it…" Ronnie thinks aloud.

Stacey shrugs, then turns away from Ronnie and looks in the mirror. She lets out a small chuckle. She sticks her lip out checking the damage. She shook her head grunting. It would definitely swell. Ronnie turned to look at Stacey who was now touching around her lip carefully, and she now noticed the cut to her lip. Her hand instinctively reaches out to check the injury. Stacey's eyes squint, what was Ronnie doing.

"You'll need to get some ice on that, try and help the swelling." Her motherly instincts taking over checking Stacey's injury.

It didn't matter that it was Stacey; maybe it did. Because she was her daughter's best friend, she felt she needed to look after her. It was silly, because she didn't and Stacey most definitely didn't want her help, but she did it regardless, she wouldn't be cold towards anyone Danielle cared for.

Stacey looks down awkwardly, she didn't know how to react to this Ronnie, the caring Ronnie, the Ronnie Danielle had yearned for, it seemed so tragic that she wasn't here to be the one being looked after.

Ronnie looked away too, knowing that she had pushed some boundaries then with Stacey; she looked again at the writing, taking it in.

"Did you catch her writing it…" Stacey shouting her name interrupts Ronnie.

"Look!"

Stacey points to a lipstick on the floor the one the woman dropped. Ronnie gulped as Stacey ran to the toilets, got some toilet paper, came back, and picked it up carefully, placing the lipstick in the paper. She turns to Ronnie a small glint in her eye.

"She used this to write that. She didn't have any gloves on either… I don't think. Can't we use it for prints or something? You need to go to the police with this Ronnie."

Ronnie gulps again. Breathing deeply she looks at Stacey's hand and takes the paper and lipstick, careful, like Stacey not to touch the lipstick. Ronnie looks up at Stacey a little smirk on her face.

"You been watching Miss Marple or something Stacey, since when were you so cautious about protecting finger prints?"

Stacey rolls her eyes, and lets out a small laugh; it wasn't at Ronnie, who thought it was it was at a memory.

"Jessica Fletcher actually… Danni, she'd always make me watch it with her. Said it made her laugh that she was a just writer and that she always ended up solving the cases, not the police…" Stacey let out another small laugh, this one quieter, as the memory brought about sadness.

A smile appeared on Ronnie's face at the thought of knowing something else about Danielle. Learning something knew about what she had done in the time, she lived on the square. She was thankful to Stacey for sharing the memory. She gave her a thankful smile as they locked eyes once Stacey had finished talking.

"I know you're a Mitchell Ronnie, and you don't like dealin' with the police, but, you need to hem with this… You can't figure this out on your own, unless she's gonna appear before you sometime soon, which I doubt she will."

Ronnie sighs rubbing her face a moment.

"I can't Stacey. They won't take me seriously. What proof do I have some card and a lip stick, and…"

"You either do it or I will. Ronnie. What's she gonna do next? Step up her game and wait in your house for you… 'Cos Ronnie she aint just leaving you birthday cards for you to get in the mornin', she's come in your club whilst you're here. She's gettin' smug."

Stacey tried to reason with Ronnie, she didn't care if she sounded a little desperate; she needed Ronnie to see sense. This person could be a danger to her; they were harassing her, and clearly had some unknown grudge against Ronnie. Any other time Stacey would have laughed at herself for looking out for Ronnie, anyone would have told her she would be thinking in the best interests of Ronnie Mitchell a year ago she would have laughed her head off, but then she didn't know she was Danielle's mum, and Danielle was still here. She had no reason to want to keep an eye on Ronnie. Now she did. Danielle.

Relenting, Ronnie nodded. Stacey let out a relieved breath, nodding also.

"Right. Okay, so what we gonna do with that. I'm sorry but I aint in no mood to trek to the police station now… Are they even open now…?" Stacey started rambling, her hand coming up to run through her hair nervously.

"We can keep it in the safe till the morning, and we can go then… If you want to come that is?"

Ronnie became a little flustered, she wasn't used to reaching out, she kept on surprising herself at how naturally she did it now, being more open with people. She would have thought since her daughter's death she would have closed herself off from anyone, preventing anyone getting close enough to hurt her.

Yet, now, since Danielle's death, and the events surrounding it, she didn't want to waste anymore time not being herself to others, not letting people in. Maybe if she were more like that when Danielle was alive, she would have felt more comfortable in telling her sooner.

Ronnie closed her eyes briefly as she thought that over. She could not dwell on what ifs; they would just eat away at her. She didn't want that. Therefore, with no more thoughts spared, she made her way out the toilets and towards her office. Stacey following, watching as Ronnie carefully put the lipstick in the safe and locked it. She turned around and Ronnie looked at her, she let out a breath, it was some kind of relief, weight off her mind, that tomorrow morning could be the start of getting some answers.

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**I will try my hardest to write some more tomorrow when i get home from work and hopefully update cos i do know it was short, but i do hope you enjoyed it, as i said the next chapter things start to pick up, and answers answered lol ;) Review, and discuss away, always love to hear what you think of the fic and where its heading and that and what you'd like to see :) Thanks for reading x**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys. Wow not many reviews for the last chapter, i know it was short, but i do appreciate you guys commenting, hope your not getting fed up with this, i am sorry for the long delay in updates. Just been busy with work. I hope you still enjoy this fic. This chap isn't all that exciting but it sets up the next chapters where things start unraveling. Hope you enjoy :) Again, please review if you can. :)**

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Sleep had come quite easy that night, everything else considered, the thought that the morning could bring answers eased her mind somewhat more than it had nights where nothing had happened.

It was 11.00 am. Ronnie was now dressed and had eaten some breakfast, she'd called Stacey to double check that she still wanted to come to the station with her, which she did. They had agreed to meet at the Station at 11.30 am.

Ronnie grabbed her coat and made her way to the club to retrieve the lipstick before making her way to the station.

To her surprise, when she opened the safe, the lipstick was still there, she had thought it was too good to be true, that when she got there it would be gone. Yet here it was, she grabbed it and placed it carefully in her bag, and made her way towards the police station.

Once she arrived at the station, just before 11.30, she was met by an already waiting Stacey. She gave her a small smile of hello. Stacey nodded doing the same.

They both entered the station a little nervously; they approached the desk, where a 40 something, over weight balding man was sitting.

He looked up as they approached, his face did not flinch, until he spoke.

"Can I help you?" He spoke gruffly.

"I'd like to report harassment." Ronnie spoke calmly.

"Okay, do you mind if I ask your name?"

"Veronica Mitchell." The officer looked up a moment then turned back to his screen, typing.

"Is that Miss or Mrs.?"

"Miss." Ronnie answered all questions calmly, even if they seemed useless, she just wanted to get to the point where she could get some answers.

"Okay, Miss Mitchell. If you'd just give me a moment I'll get an officer to take you through the back to make a formal statement."

Ronnie simply nodded, she did not know what to expect, and she just waited, watched as the man at the desk spoke on a phone, and then watched as an officer appeared through a door.

"Veronica Mitchell." Ronnie turned to the officer. This one was better to look at, a 30 something, tall, tanned, and with slightly gelled brown hair. A police officer though, was a man she could not go for. Not again, not now.

"If you'd like to follow me through here, I'll take your statement from you."

Ronnie nodded; she turned to Stacey a moment who said she would wait there for her. Ronnie gave Stacey a gently, yet slightly nervous smile before making her way, to follow the officer into a room.

Ronnie was led into a room with a table; it was light unlike the usual interrogation rooms you see on television.

The officer offered Ronnie a seat, to which she accepted, he then sat down facing her.

"Hello, my name is Sergeant Alex Steele. I understand that you'd like to report a harassment?"

Ronnie nodded. The officer offered a small smile, as to, not appear too intimidating.

"Okay. Well I will need to know as much as you can tell me, so we can do our best to help you. We'll need a written statement from you, but we can do that in a bit, why don't you start by telling me what's gone on?"

Ronnie went on to tell the officer how since her birthday strange things had started, she had to explain what those strange things were, not just feelings of being watched, but the card, the tape, and the messages. She had also had to explain that Danielle had died, and that is why all these things were so distressing. Ronnie became a little distressed as she spoke of Danielle's death, and Danielle. How she had been adopted and cruelly snatched away from her the night she had discovered her true identity.

The officer had offered Ronnie a break, but she carried on saying she was fine. The officer stayed relatively quiet listening to Ronnie explained all that had happened. Ronnie had been aloud to take her bag into the room, after it had been searched and she began to pull out the various things to show the officer.

The officer had exited the room a moment to get some gloves and evidence bags, he returned and Ronnie had all the items laid out on the table. The DVD, how she had wanted to keep it, but it was evidence the officers needed to know about it. The birthday card and the cards from the flowers she had kept. Lastly, the only thing Stacey knew she had brought the lipstick.

"You said your birthday was when you first started receiving things. This card?" Ronnie nodded and watched as the officer started writing things down.

The officer looked up at Ronnie's questioning gaze and offered a small smile.

"I need to write a written statement, including every little detail, I know it can be distressing, repeating a lot of events, you can take a break anytime you want."

Ronnie shook her head, she had to get this done, the quick it was over, the quicker she found her answers, the quicker she could begin to move on with her life as best as she could.

"7th July. My birthday. I got the card and the film. September 10th I found the rose and the card. Then last night a message was left for me in the toilets at my club, but whoever is doing this were interrupted and fled the club. They left the lipstick."

Ronnie watched again as she watched the officer write on the evidence bags, then began to place the items away. He looked up once he had finished, and removed the gloves having sealed the bags.

"I'll need you to look over this statement and sign there to confirm that all is accurate." He gestured to a spot near the bottom on a sheet of paper, with lots of writing on.

She began to read it all, it was all she had just recounted to him moments before. She nodded and signed at the bottom and handed the paper and pen back to him.

"Now this lipstick, it's never 100% certain we can get any finger prints from it, let alone an i.d from it, but there's always a chance. This will have to be sent off to one of our labs, and I'll get an officer to ring you once we have some results."

"The film… How long will you need it for?" Ronnie asks tentatively.

The officer looks at Ronnie solemnly.

"We'll just need to document it, check for prints, and make a copy. I'll see to it that once we've finished with it, it's returned to you."

Ronnie releases a sigh, and offers the officer a small grateful smile.

"How long will I have to wait, till I hear something?" Ronnie inquires.

"Like I said, it depends on how feasible the prints are on the lipstick, which is our best bet as you said there was a witness to the offender committing the crime… If the prints are solid, and the offender is in any of the databases, hospital, or police, we'll get an i.d."

Ronnie nods and releases another deep breath.

"We'll also need to speak to the witness who saw the offender write the message in the toilet. You said it was a friend?"

"Stacey Slater, she's my, was my daughter's best friend."

"Okay, if you have contact details for her, we'd like to get in touch with her, to see if she can give us any description on the what the person looked like. Even if she can just give us the height, it's better than nothing."

"Stacey's waiting in the reception area for me."

The officer looked up.

"Really? That would be a great help." Ronnie nodded.

"I think that's everything for now. All I can advise you do, seen, as we have no formal identification at this moment in time, is to be vigilant, if you're going out late on your own, I'd advise you ring someone before telling them when you're setting off, and again when you reach your destination. It's always best in cases like these, that you're not on your own a lot. If someone could stay with you, if it would help keep you at ease, then again, I'd advise you do that. And, any sign, or any other items being left you, you ring this station and ask to speak to me, okay."

A few more words were shared just finalizing and making sure all was understood, the officer showed Ronnie out and spoke with Stacey, who followed him into the room Ronnie had just been in. Even after she had told the officer that, she didn't get a good look at the person, it was a masquerade night after all, but the person had punched her before she could look at her any further.

She had told the officer all she could, she had tried very hard to remember as much detail as she could, such as height, and she was a little shorter than she was. She had brown hair, short, just above the shoulders. She wasn't sure but she thought that her eyes were green. She joked that she had a good right hook on her, her lip was proof; it had as she had initially thought swelled and bruised. She had a proper fat lip. She was embittered that she had this fat lip, when she was sitting across from such a good-looking police officer. He could lock her in cuffs any day, or night she smirked to herself.

Once all details were given, and no more could be shared, or recorded. The officer escorted Stacey back into the reception where Ronnie was waiting; he then excused himself to go send off the lipstick for testing.

"Ay, he was a bit of alright want he." Ronnie let out a small laugh as Stacey watched after the police officer.

Ronnie shook her head as she made her way out, Stacey soon following.

"No wonder you were so long in that room, I wouldn't have wanted to come out either." Stacey tried to joke with Ronnie.

Ronnie allowed her lip to twitch at this; the thought had crossed her mind briefly. Stacey caught the movement and smirked to herself again.

"No woman can resist a good-looking police officer." Stacey carried on.

"When it comes to my sister, she can't resist any man." Ronnie tried to joke, but the thought that this was true. That Roxy couldn't resist any man, brought about the memory of her not being able to resist Jack, when he had kissed her, still hurt her.

Ronnie and Stacey had made their way wordlessly back to the square together. Ronnie said her goodbyes to Stacey and made her way to the Vic to see Roxy, she felt guilty for having thought about her the way she had before. After all, she had been so good to her since Danielle's death. In addition, she wanted to let her know she had been to the police station, and to tell her all that had gone on.

Ronnie looked up at the Vic, then to the entrance of the Vic, to the doors, the spot she had thrown Danielle out of the night of the wedding, the night she died. She felt her chest tighten. She clutched at her locket. The action bringing forth a fresh image of Danielle, not just the one of her as a baby, but the recent one, one Roxy had given her for her birthday, which she had placed in her locket. The picture of Danielle and Amy, which lay preciously in her bedroom, on her bedside table, so, she could see her face every night before she slept and every morning she awoke. Keeping, her, face, her memory, fresh in her mind never forgetting her. Ronnie closed her eyes as she shut out the events of that fateful night, and made her way into the Vic, to see Roxy and tell her all that had just gone on.

...

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**So, how was it? Drop a review if you can, really appreciate it, will try and get an update up soon. :) Thanks for reading :) x**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, so sorry for the lack of updates, work and life has just been a bit hectic...Want to thank u all for your great reviews. :) Was out all yesterday so couldn't get an update up finally managed to get writing about an hour ago and swore to myself I'd give you guys an update. Hour later, her it is :D Hope you like it, quite a bit development in this chap i think, hope you like it anyways :)**

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Ronnie had told Roxy everything that had took place at the police station, and the night before. Roxy had been a little hurt that Ronnie had not confided in her earlier about all that had gone on. However, she had insisted that she move in with her until they catch whoever was doing this. Ronnie had not wanted this; she was fine on her own. Admittedly, she was a little worried, and this was what unsettled her even more. That this person, some stranger presumably, could get at her so much. Roxy had insisted though, and Ronnie just agreed if anything to shut Roxy up.

That was 2 weeks ago, it was now October 3rd. Ronnie was becoming very agitated at having not heard back from the police. Roxy was starting to get on her nerves too. She has lived with her for a while in the Vic, and obviously, when they were kids, so, she was not sure, why Roxy being in her home was any different. It was not. She had just gotten use to the fact of living on her own, having her own house, and her own space. Now Roxy was here she felt smothered, no time for herself. More to the point, finding some one else's knickers and bras scattered about your home nearly every morning is not something you can learn to appreciate, especially when the said person doesn't clean up after themselves even after you ask them to. Or, in Ronnie's case threaten, but still seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Luckily, Roxy was out at the Vic helping a lot, behind the bar, and Ronnie was at R&R so they were not always together. Which Ronnie was more than thankful for.

However, ever since the night at the club, where Stacey had caught the person, Ronnie had not heard anything, received anything else since. She was still on edge though, she knew the person wouldn't stop. Unless, the police had caught them, yet why hadn't they got in touch with her to let her know?

At this thought Ronnie decided to find out herself, it was pointless relying on the police. You needed something doing, do it yourself. She picked up her phone and began dialing the number for the local police station. She had to wrack her brain now for the name of the officer she had spoken with. Alex…St…Alex Steele. That was it; she smirked at the memory of her first impression of him. Just like Stacey, she had thought of a few things he could do with his cuffs.

The dial tone kept on ringing, she rolled her eyes sarcastically, some police they were, what if she was in danger, at that the phone answered.

"Hello, Walford Police Station, how may I help you."

"I'd like to speak to Sergeant Alex Steele please."

"May I ask who's calling, and what it's regarding."

"It's Ronnie Mitchell, and, it's a private matter." If she asked regarding the case she might just get another officer, she'd opened up to Alex Steele, she didn't want to reiterate everything she had to him, to someone else, who may not be as considerate.

Fortunately, she was asked to wait whilst the officer on the phone went to check.

"I'll just put you through to Sergeant Steele's private line." The officer speaking was a woman, and didn't sound to happy about what she was doing. No doubt, she had a crush on this Sergeant Steele.

Ronnie next heard another dial tone, she was soon greeted by none other than Sergeant Steele himself.

"Hello this is Alex Steele. Ronnie Mitchell? What can I do for you?"

Ronnie would have smiled at the slight cockiness in his voice if it weren't for such an imperative matter as to why she was calling him.

"Well for starters why don't you tell me what you've been doing for the past 2 weeks?"

"Erm work mostly, it was my cousins 21st last Friday…"

"I didn't call for a social chat. I want to know what's happening with the case. Have you caught her…"

"Ronnie. Look, it takes a while, here in the UK, in real life it takes time to find a match. We can't just scan an image and get a result in 3minutes…"

"I know okay, I know. I just. I hate not knowing…"

"Whilst we're on the subject have you received anything else?"

"No." Ronnie sighs.

"Well, that's something… Ronnie, I have your number okay, I will call you as soon as I here anything. I have called the forensics lab numerous times, but with something like this. It's pretty much a waiting game. I told you, we can never be certain on getting a match…"

"I know… Alex…Will you just call me as soon as you hear…anything, please."

"Yeah. Of course… If you ever need to talk Ronnie… About the case… I can give you my number, where you can reach me directly…" He spoke slightly nervously, his intentions quite clear, it was not just about police business.

Ronnie wasn't sure, it was a police officer, and she didn't know whether she wanted to get involved with another officer. What if he knew Jack? What if he was like Jack? She decides to take a chance; if anything, it may help her getting answers sooner if she could speak with him directly.

"Yeah, if that's not a problem…"

"No, no it's definitely not a problem." Ronnie could not help the small flutter that arose in her stomach. This man knew all her problems, yet he was still interested. Ronnie was not use to this, so her front came up slightly, protecting her from the unknown, the potential threat.

Ronnie was given a number from Alex, she made sure she wrote it down, and copied it into her phone once they said their goodbyes.

An hour later and she was at the club. She was checking through the books when her mobile rang. She checked the id and was surprised to see Alex Steele pop up on the screen.

"Didn't think I'd hear back from you so soon." Ronnie teased slightly.

"Erm, there's been some development in the case." Ronnie's mood changed instantly from the tone of his voice, it sounded serious.

"What happened?"

"After you called me, I ended up making a few calls of my own, to find out what was happening…Turns out, they thought they'd messed up on the finger printing…"

"What why?" She asks again.

"Well, at first the reason why I hadn't heard anything was because they searched most of the databases and hadn't found a match… They were going to write it off as an unmatchable print until they got a hit in the hospital database…"

Ronnie was slightly scared to ask any further, she had no idea what this could be about.

"Maybe you should come down to the station and I can tell you here?" Alex asks, once he doesn't get a reply from Ronnie.

"No, no, tell me now, I couldn't handle the wait… Please, if can tell me over the phone, then please do." Ronnie wasn't one for pleading, but with this case, with all that had gone on, she just wanted answers, she just wanted it to be over.

"It should really be down at the station… but I don't see what harm telling you now over the phone… you will still need to come down to the station at a later date…"

"Okay, okay…what is it. Tell me?" Ronnie interrupted.

"The only prints on the lipstick were that of your daughters…" He says carefully.

Ronnie sits back in her chair as she begins to frown.

"I don't understand… I thought you said something about a mix up?" The confusion evident in Ronnie's voice.

"Well there were a few sets of prints on the stick that they managed to lift. They were also able to date the prints… So they could tell which prints were the most recent…"

Ronnie was listening intently she was not quite understanding what all this meant. Alex carried on.

"Well when they got the hit in the hospital database they were glad, thought they'd caught a break, until they realized the prints were from the hospitals mortuary… They didn't understand how the recent prints could be from a dead person…"

Ronnie's heart began to race. She was not sure if she wanted to hear what he had to say.

"The prints matched to that of a RTA victim… Danielle Jones…Your daughter. At this, they thought it must have been a mistake that the recent prints and the older ones were switched… So they ended up having to redo the whole thing, which is another factor on the delay…"

"What. What are you saying?" Ronnie's voice came out as a whisper; she could not take it all in.

"I'm not quite sure yet… My seniors have ordered a review of the case, and we're going to have to re-question you and some others regarding the death of your daughter."

"What do you mean? What about? Can't you just do your job and find whoever is doing this, why dig up the past…" Ronnie began rambling on.

"Because, it very well could be your, own daughter that is doing this!" Alex snaps, but soon recoils once the line goes silent, quickly regretting how he broke the news to Ronnie.

Ronnie dropped the phone from her hands. Her mouth fell open, her eyes began filling as they also widened in shock. Her hand quickly came up to cover her mouth, her body hunched over, and sobs began to overtake her body. She didn't acknowledge the voice still on the voice calling out to her, or the person approaching the office. Her mind was elsewhere, she was in a state of shock, and confusion.

Even more so than before. What did Alex mean? Could her daughter be alive? No, she couldn't she'd seen her body in the mortuary. So, then why would Alex say this to her? Why would he be so cruel as to lie about something like that? Yet, he was an officer of the law he would not lie. He could not lie about something like this could he?

What was the truth? Would she ever find the answers she needed? As, whenever she thought she'd got an answer all it would do was add to more questions.

What would happen now?

...

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**Ooh, so what will happen now? :p, who is the person coming into the office, is Danielle really the person doing this? So is she alive??? How will Ronnie cope, and what's going to happen with her and Alex, would you like anything to happen?? Let me know what you think on anything in this, critique and praise always welcome. Thanks for reading x**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys, a bit of a dip in reviews, hope you are still liking this. Thanks to those of you who are still sticking with this :) Sorry for delay in the update I haven't been well, writing this tonight was my medicine thought so I hope it makes you smile too hehe. Here's the update for you's then, I hope if your reading this you can drop a word or two telling me if I'm doing an okay job lol.**

**...A/N... McIzzieFan- My mental pic of Sergeant Steele is Jamie Bamber... Hope I haven't ruined your mental pic ;p hehe  
**

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Roxy sat staring at the picture she held in her hands. What should she do? Should she show it to Ronnie? After all, it was meant for her. Yet if she kept it from her, she could be saving Ronnie from pain, as whenever she received something from this person whoever they were, all they would do is remind Ronnie of all she had lost.

She felt guilty after Ronnie had finally confided in her. She had found the picture last night, she had not meant to keep it from Ronnie, yet when Ronnie appeared in front of her, she had hid the picture behind her back, and in the end kept it from Ronnie.

She knew Ronnie would be mad at her for keeping it from her, which was another factor of her keeping it, because no matter how quickly she gave it her now, she'd still end up loosing it at her.

Roxy looked at the picture once more, it was freaky, it was like something out of a horror film. Stood in the middle of the road, a rose at her feet was a girl holding a piece of paper hiding her face. The numbers _**184**_ stood out. In big, black, bold letters. It had sent a shiver down her spine when she had first seen it. Her uneasiness, had increased more so when she turned the picture over to find more writing on the back.

"_**HOW QUICKLY DID YOU FORGET?" **_

Roxy could not work out what either message meant, she knew her sister probably would not either, yet, she still couldn't work up the courage to show it her. It would just freak her out even more, knowing some stranger was taunting her as they were.

Roxy jumped out of her skin as she heard a knock at the door. She breathed a sigh of relief after realising if it was Ronnie, she would have just walked in. She was still on edge however, and hid the picture back in the book and placed it back on the bookshelf.

Roxy straightened herself down making herself look more 'presentable', if presentable meant flashing more cleavage.

Roxy's nerves soon faded and a grin appeared on her face as she came face to face with a tall good-looking man. She was glad she had sorted herself out just now.

"Hi, I'm looking for a Ronnie Mitchell?"

Roxy grunted slightly, it would have to be for her sister would not it.

"I'm Alex, Sergeant Alex Steele. If your sister is there, I'd like to come in and apologise and explain it to her properly."

Roxy frowned somewhat, what did he have to apologise? Explain what to her sister.

"Explain what? What do you have to apologise for?" Roxy says suspiciously.

Alex held up his hands a little, defensively, even he, having come across many an intimidating man, was still intimidated when it came to woman like Roxy.

"Look, I'm sorry I never should have told your sister like I did. Every man when it boils down to it is a prat, but he shouldn't be defined by his manly ego actions but by how he deals in the aftermath of them…"

Roxy hold her hand up stopping Alex mid sentence. A look of complete bafflement evident her face.

"I'm gonna stop you right there, not that I don't agree with what you said at the beginnin'…but… I have no idea what you're talkin' about. Copper or not, you had better tell me now what you did to upset my sister or you'll 'av me to deal with."

Alex gulps; he knew he would have a hard time talking this one round.

"If she hasn't told you, then I can't really divulge any details…"

Roxy throws up her hands exasperated.

"Tell me what!"

"It's concerning the case…" At this Roxy's, face pales slightly.

Alex looks at her confused somewhat the change in Roxy's appearance having not, going unnoticed by him.

"What's happened?" Alex asks a still pale Roxy.

Roxy looks around outside making sure Ronnie wasn't about, unbeknownst to her at the time; Ronnie was still at the club in a state of shock and wouldn't be moving for quite some time. She looks back to Alex.

"Do you have any i.d on you?" Alex was dressed in plain clothes.

He nodded his head and opened the leather jacket he was wearing.

"Erm, here." He showed Roxy his police badge and photo i.d. Roxy stepped back and opened the door more.

"Can you come in? There's something you'll probably want to see." Roxy speaks rather tentatively.

Alex nods and enters the flat, Roxy looks across the street once more before shutting the door and showing Alex into the living room.

Roxy offered Alex a seat on the sofa whilst she went to the bookshelf to receive the photo. She hesitated slightly once she held the book in her hands. She took a deep breath as she held the photo in her hands, before turning round and facing Alex, whom had watched her intently since they entered the room.

"Here." Roxy holds her hand out Alex looks up at it.

"It's from her, who ever is doing this to Ronnie, she's sent her something else." Roxy admits.

Alex stands up like a shot holding his hands up, Roxy looks at him shocked.

"I can't touch that. You shouldn't have touched that. It's evidence." Alex rushes out.

At this, Roxy immediately drops the photo onto the floor holding her hands up. Alex rolls his eyes a moment before focusing back onto the photo and what it could hold.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't know. God Ronnie will kill me even more if I've messed this up…" Roxy runs a hand through her hair and turns around pacing the floor slightly.

"Hey, it's okay; you've done the right thing here. Just, don't touch it until I get back. I'm just going to my car to get some things okay." Alex tries to reassure Roxy, who gives him a small nod, although she doesn't face him, as she runs both her hands over her face.

Alex left and made his way to his car, grabbing a clear evidence pouch and gloves before making his way back into the flat. Where he found a still Roxy sitting on the opposite coach, her knees tucked up, her eyes locked on the photo.

As Alex makes his way over to the photo only now does Roxy register his return. Having, put his gloves on moments before he was now ready to collect the evidence.

Alex carefully placed the photo into the evidence pouch, and then sealed it with some police evidence tape that he had also received from his car. He reached into his jacket, and, pulled out a pen, and wrote down some details on the tape.

He let out a relieved breath as he took of his gloves, then turned to Roxy as he held the photo in his hands having dropped his gloves on the table.

He took a seat on the couch facing Roxy. He began to look at the photo, his mind trying to draw some conclusions as to what the photo meant.

"There's writin' on the back too." Roxy finally looks and speaks to Alex since he had re-entered.

Alex nods and turns over the pouch seeing the writing written on the back, he frown s somewhat as he takes in the words.

"When did you get this, who else has seen it?"

"No one just me… It was sent last night, I know I should've told Ronnie and told the police but…I just didn't know what to do, I just. I didn't want Ronnie to have to face it; she's been through so much already. I…" Roxy trails of not being able to verbalise what it was she felt about what her sister, her family had been through.

Alex sits forward his hands on his knees.

"Ronnie doesn't need to know when you received this okay. You can come with me now, and we can find her together, we can tell her together, if you want." Alex speaks empathetically.

Roxy wipes at a tear, and releases a small laugh.

"You don't have to lie to Ronnie for me. I've dealt with enough of Ronnie's backlashes; I know how to handle myself…"

"Yeah, well, it's not technically lying. Ronnie doesn't need to know you received this photo last night, I can tell her I received it from you this morning. I don't think she'll be too concerned about the specific details of when this photo was sent, just that it was."

As Alex stands, Roxy imitates, by doing the same. Looking at Alex inquisitively.

"Yeah, well you don't know Ronnie." Alex smirks a little.

"Where will Ronnie be?"

Roxy frowns, at Alex having changed the topic.

"She's at the club." Roxy answers automatically.

"And where's that?" Alex holds the evidence under his arm. He picks up his discarded gloves and places them in his jacket pocket.

"R&R she owns it, it's on Turpin road."

Alex smiles gratefully, as he straightens himself out.

"If you want to follow me down there, I can then take you to the station after and get a formal statement of you."

Roxy nods putting aside her needs to make some sarcastic comment about him seemingly having the hots for her sister, and ignoring what she was saying earlier. She wanted to help her sister find whoever was doing this.

Yet what Roxy was unaware of was that she most probably was helping to find her niece. Who was looking more and more likely, to still, be alive.

Alex kept a firm hold on the photo evidence as he made his way back to his car. He just hoped that they would have some more look with this photo, too add as more evidence that something was not right regarding Danielle's death. As his boss had told him before he left that, he was doing this on his own until there was further proof than on some lipstick the girl owned to prove she might still be alive.

...

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**Ooh, so is it Danielle who is doing this? ;p Hope you enjoyed this chap, if you can, let me know what you think of this Alex guy, if I'm giving him too much storytime I'll try and cut him down, although it is important at the time being to progress the story on, and you want that don't you? ;p hehe anywas thanks for reading :) x**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys thanks so much for your reviews glad you are liking this, and that Jamie Bamber didn't disappoint ;p hehe. Now I think this is my longest chapter to date, and also some revelations take place would like to know if any of you realized them :) Enjoy :)**

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_Alex kept a firm hold on the photo evidence as he made his way back to his car. He just hoped that they would have some more look with this photo, too add as more evidence that something was not right regarding Danielle's death. As his boss had told him before he left that, he was doing this on his own until there was further proof than on some lipstick the girl owned to prove she might still be alive. _

_...  
_

They had arrived at R&R and were now sitting outside. Roxy turns to Alex.

"You not comin' in?"

"No. I've err, got to stay with the evidence." He nods to the back of the trunk where the evidence was as he spoke.

Roxy nodded, and laughed a little as she spoke.

"So you wouldn't want me to bring you a drink back out then would you?" Alex laughed slightly at this.

"Not unless it was water." At this Roxy cringed.

"Ewww. Water what's that, only clear liquid I know of begins with v." She smirks. Alex smiles. She seemed to have recovered.

Roxy opened the car door and peered back into the car, looking a little nervously now.

"What do I say to her?"

"Just tell her I'm outside waiting to discuss some developments in the case…" Roxy nods.

"What if she's in a state…?" At this, Alex felt bad, because if she was in a state it was his felt. Nevertheless, he still allowed a small smirk to appear on his face.

"You're her sister; I thought you could handle her?" Roxy smirks too.

"I can. I will okay. I should not be no more than five mins, actually 10 tops might need a strong drink if we end up fighting. Any more than 20 and come to my rescue…"

"I thought you could handle your sister?" Alex smirks.

"I can take care of myself after…" Alex allows a genuine laugh to escape, Roxy does too, as she turns and closes the car door behind her.

She took a deep breath as she prepared herself for what lay ahead.

Ronnie was sat at her desk in her chair staring ahead, nothing seeming to sink in, especially by Jack who was sat crouched besides her trying to get her to talk to him.

At the sound of the office door opening Jack's head whips round, as he sees Roxy he turns back to Ronnie and drops his head. He stands up and turns to Roxy. Roxy who having seen the state Ronnie is in pales slightly, was she strong enough to hear what she had to say, to deal with what they would no doubt have to do at the police station.

"Maybe you can get through to her Rox… I don't know what it is… I contemplated phoning an ambulance if… Look can you get through to her Rox she hasn't told me anything, all she's said is it can't be true…"

"How long has she been like this?" Jack does not say anything but looks back to Ronnie a sad longing look appears on his face.

"How long has she been like this Jack?" Roxy snaps. Jack turns around.

"I don't know, I came in here 15 minutes ago an' she was already like this." Jack runs a frustrated hand through his hair.

Roxy starts walking towards Ronnie, Jack moves out of the way, as Roxy kneels in front of Ronnie. She places her hands on Ronnie's face, gently moving it to look at her own. Her eyes wouldn't focus on hers though; they seemed a million miles away.

"Ron, Ron, it's me. Look at me Ron, what is it. What is not true? Is it what Alex said…?" At that name Ronnie's head snaps to Roxy's her eyes immediately locking on hers.

"What's Alex told you?" Jack looks on confused as he hears the first real sentence leave Ronnie's lips.

Roxy's surprised by Ronnie's quick answer she's taken back a little.

"What has he told you? Where did you see him?" Ronnie asks demandingly.

"He, he came to the flat, he wanted to apologise to you…" Ronnie stands abruptly.

"Where is he now?" Ronnie turns to Roxy asking her. Roxy stands up receiving a desperate look from Ronnie. Roxy began to wonder what exactly had gone on between the two.

"He's outside…He wants to…" Roxy couldn't get the rest of her sentence out as soon as she had said he was waiting outside Ronnie burst past Jack not even acknowledging he was there and straight out the office through the club and began making her way up the stairs.

Roxy ran after her, Jack after Rox having recovered from his brush off.

They made their way outside to witness Alex exiting his car quickly towards a stationary Ronnie.

Roxy and Jack watch on as Alex begins to make his way from around his side of the car towards Ronnie. He stops in front of the car as Ronnie begins to speak.

"Is it true, what you said?" Roxy barely heard her. Alex nodded.

"I don't want you to get your hopes up… I should never have told you before…"

"No, no… any hope, anything is better than what I've been feeling these past months. Even if it turns out to be a mix-up… Having some hope, feeling something, if it takes away the pain even for a day…"

"There's been a development…" Ronnie wipes a tear, from her cheek; she locks eyes, with Alex.

"I think its best we discuss it down at the station." Alex looks in the direction of Roxy and Jack. Wondering who he was. Why was he in the club with Ronnie? It wasn't his business though. It shouldn't be.

"Do you want me to meet you down there?" Ronnie asks quickly.

"You can come down with me now if you want, your sister Roxy needs to come down too, to make a statement?" At this, Ronnie turns her head quickly to Roxy who looks down. Ronnie turns back to Alex confused.

"Roxy? Why do you need to speak to her?"

"If you take a seat in the car I can take you down to the station and I can explain it all there." Ronnie nods at Alex's request. She begins to make her way to the passenger's seat, Alex copies, and both pause, hands on the doors as Jack shouts.

"Is someone goin' to explain what's goin on here?" Everyone turns to look at Jack.

"Not now ay Jack." Roxy tries to silence Jack who shakes his head.

"No. No, I was sat in there for 15 minutes getting the silent treatment now suddenly Roxy turns up says Alex, and she's running around like she wasn't just starin' at nothin' for god knows how long…"

"Wow 15 minutes Jack. You really are a saint… Sorry stubborn. I didn't ask you to sit with me, god I thought you would've took the hint and done one. You don't normally stick with somethin that aint interested…" Ronnie nastily snaps.

"Ron…" Roxy wasn't sure what was going on, she wasn't sure why she was defending Jack, was she?

"No Rox… Are you comin' or do you want to stay and comfort Jack?" Roxy was taken a back by Ronnie's coldness, she watched as Ronnie opened the passenger side and got in closing the door and staring ahead. Roxy looked to Alex who offered her a sympathetic smile.

He was not sure what had gone on between the three of them but he could tell there was history and ill feeling. Alex got into the car and started the engine. Roxy turned to Jack a moment before walking forward and getting into the backseat of the police car. It soon sped of leaving a confused Jack as to why Ronnie and Roxy were going to the police station; he didn't know they were in trouble? Who was this Alex? He seemed to be a police officer. Why did Ronnie seem to trust him and snap out of her trance-like state at the mention of his name? What was it that he held?

Yet he held nothing romantic, as he would be left to think, but hope. The hope that her daughter may still be alive. Furthermore, answers to all that had been going on in the past months. Yet could Alex hold more answers than just finding a missing daughter?

The ride to the police station was an awkward and silent one, nobody speaking until the arrival at the police station when Alex directed Ronnie and Roxy into an interviewing room.

Ronnie had been puzzled by Alex bringing in something from his trunk, but hadn't questioned it further until he brought it into the room with them and placed it on the table, did she realize it concerned her, and it concerned Danielle.

Having taken a seat and started proceedings Alex lay the evidence before Ronnie.

Ronnie held a hand diligently a top of the picture.

"It's okay; you can look at it… I just need you to look at it and tell me if you recognize anything in the picture before I send it away for testing."

"Where did you get this?" Ronnie looks away from the picture towards Alex. Who looks to Roxy, and Ronnie realizes what had happened.

"How long have you had this?" Ronnie snaps at Roxy who was sat beside her, she winces slightly at Ronnie's tone.

"I was trying to protect you! Jeeze Ron, you wouldn't think I was protecting you from some psycho who's obsessed with you!" Roxy snaps too, going on the defensive, she couldn't understand why Ronnie was acting like this.

"No, you're keeping me from my daughter!" Roxy's shocked by this, not having expected Danielle to be mentioned like that. Ronnie turned to Alex ignoring Roxy.

"When did you get this?" Ronnie asks hoping to get her answers from Alex.

"Ron, Danielle, she's dead… Why would I be keeping you from her?" Roxy speaks aloud, also questioning Ronnie who turns addressing her.

"No. She. She might not be…" Ronnie tries to keep herself under control, and the tears at bay.

"No. Ron, Ron you saw the body. You went to the funeral..." She had, hadn't she? Roxy had not gone to neither so she could not be sure, but she had been told by Stacey, by Andy. He was Danielle's father he wouldn't lie about Danielle dying…Yet Stacey had been to the funeral too, so there was a funeral, so there was a body right?

All these thoughts were going through Roxy's head, which was soon interrupted by Alex speaking hoping to put the sisters on the same page somewhat and at least not at each other's throats. Although it appeared that, that is what they did often and would not change.

"There's been a development with the case. We were able to isolate some prints on the lipstick that was left at the club… Now, there were several prints some old and some new… They all belonged to Danielle Jones." Alex tries to relay what had gone on to Roxy as best he could. It would not help the look of complete confusion and shock, to appear on her face.

"That's not possible…" Roxy mutters.

"That's what we're trying to figure out." Alex continues addressing Ronnie now.

"Can you take a look at the photo for me please? Does anything make sense to you?"

Ronnie's brow creases in thought as she looks at the photograph.

Her mouth widens in shock as she sees the rose, sees the spot of Danielle's 'death'. Only five people knew the significance of that spot. Nobody else was there that night. Nobody except Janine who hit Danielle, and watched as Ronnie broke down holding her baby. Roxy and Stacey who witnessed the final moment between the pair too. Then there was herself but she wasn't doing this. That left Danielle, unless it was one of the others, but she couldn't understand any reason they would have for tormenting her like this. Yet why would Danielle?

"What is it?" Alex asks

"That's, that's the spot Danielle… Where she was hit… That rose, I gave you the other I received… I didn't know there was another… I don't… How long ago was this took?" Ronnie tries to process things.

"I'm not sure, but, we can check to see if there's a rose at that spot now. I can send an officer there now and we'll have a few days gap of when it could have been took."

Ronnie looks to Roxy.

"Did you receive this?" Roxy nods, Ronnie shakes her head.

"When? Why didn't you tell me?" Ronnie questions Roxy although not as harshly as before but still somewhat demandingly.

"I told you… I thought I was protecting you… it was last night, and I…I panicked ok, I was going to tell you but…" Roxy trails off, beginning to get herself worked up, Ronnie places a hand on her arm, and Roxy turns to face Ronnie, her face sad.

"It's okay Rox. You didn't know… To be honest, you probably did the right thing, if I'd found out last night I probably would have ripped the photo up in frustration…" Roxy manages a small smile.

Ronnie squeezes Roxy's arm as she turns to address Alex. Honestly, she probably would not have ripped it up, yet only this morning did she know it could be Danielle, who was sending them, it could be Danielle's prints on them, and she did not want to do anything to jeopardise finding that out.

"Can you find out if there's any prints on here?" Ronnie needed to know.

Alex nods.

"But first, I need to know…"

"I don't know anything okay, I told you about the spot… The numbers… I have no idea… All I want to know is my baby's prints on this?" Ronnie snaps slightly.

She quickly recoils though.

"I'm sorry… You didn't deserve that, you're just doing your job."

"The numbers… You receive them every time?" Ronnie nods at Alex's question.

"Mostly… Why?"

"Do you notice a pattern in the numbers?" Ronnie shakes her head.

"I was looking over this case a lot, and the numbers puzzled me… but now… Do you remember the last time you received something from this person?" He was ready to say Danielle yet it was too soon.

"Erm… About, three weeks ago, I think…" Alex nods.

"23 days ago…" That number again, she remembered now she'd seen it spray painted on the wall, had Danielle done that too. What did it mean?

"September 10th you found the rose with the card saying 162. Now this photo, the paper the person is holding, it reads 184. Now my maths isn't brilliant but I'm pretty sure that's 23 more…Therefore…"

"The numbers are dates?" Ronnie thinks aloud, Alex nods.

"It's starting to look that way… If we can figure out the weeks, if we just work backwards, we can find the meaning to the words on the back… How quickly did you forget?" Ronnie got a sick feeling in her stomach as Alex spoke and began jotting down. She did her own calculations in her head, she did not need to she knew the reason, partly anyways; everything was starting to add up. Granted none of it made any sense now, but things were starting to add up, and it was confirmed when Alex next spoke.

"The 2nd of April… Wait, isn't that…" Alex was good at remembering key details and he remembered the 2nd April was the date Ronnie had said…

"Danielle… The night she… Left me…" Ronnie couldn't bring herself to say died, what if it wasn't true, she didn't want to wish it on her daughter anymore.

Roxy was sat in complete shock. It was as though she wasn't in her body, but sat watching everything unfold around her. She had no input in it at all, and, she could hardly make sense of it all, but things were beginning to make sense. Well questions were beginning to rise.

That's what Ronnie and Sergeant Steele got from that too, more questions. Alex dispatched an officer to the spot Danielle was hit, and sent the photo of for testing. He left Ronnie and Roxy a moment so they could have a break. He got himself a coffee, and went to fill in his boss. As they waited to hear back from the officer, all they could do was wait, and hope. If there was a rose, that meant the photo was took recently, as the rose was left recently too, that meant if there were prints amongst Roxy's on the photograph, and they turned out to be Danielle's that meant, her prints were left there as early as last week.

That meant Danielle had to be alive. That meant Alex's boss had to give him more support on this. That meant Ronnie could hold on to her hope.

...  


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**So, a few answers there, at least about the numbers ;p is that what you thought they meant? More thoughts about them may be explored as Ronnie begins to wonder why Danielle is doing what she is... If it is Danielle doing it ;p hehe. Hope you enjoyed it, would really appreciate your thoughts on this, and any ideas etc I'm open to listen too :) Thanks for reading an update should be up soon x**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys, so sorry for the timing of this fic time wise and date wise I know theres been at least a week since my last update and i can only apologize again for not updating sooner, just, work has been really tough and not been getting home till late, and not had enough time to write. I managed to write some tonight, but, again, i must apologize as it is shorter than what i normally post. However I hope you enjoy it, and I will try and update twice tomorrow, once more with this and again with my other. :) Thanks again for all your lovely reviews you guys are awesome... oh i must point out, someone commented on the date being wrong, i used an online calculator where the end date is added onto the sum so it adds a day on lol... it works out well for the fic actually lol the number 23 :D hehe, anyway I've chatted enough hope you enjoy the fic more than my rambling :D lmao :)**

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The wait until Alex returned was a long and tense one. Awaiting news to conform that the small hope she held onto was warranted, and her daughter could actually be alive.

Roxy was still trying to process it all, she couldn't understand what was honestly happening around her, yet she wanted to believe it, just as much as Ronnie.

Although questions were swimming in her mind, ones that would not shift. Was. Why is she doing this? If Danielle was alive, why didn't she just tell them she was alive, that there had been some mistake?

If she knew what they were going through, why didn't she want to end this pain and suffering they were all in, believing her to be dead. Did she want them to suffer? Did she want Ronnie to suffer?

She didn't want to tell Ronnie these thoughts though, although she was sure they would cross her mind too.

Both Ronnie and Roxy turn to the sound of the door opening, and watch as Sergeant Steele walks in.

His face was hard to read as he took a seat before them.

"Was it there? Is it her? Is it my baby?" Ronnie barley gives Alex a chance to sit down before she throws her questions at him.

"The officer I dispatched to that spot, did find a rose… He's on his way back now as we speak with the evidence." Ronnie lets out a shaky breath as Alex explains that once they had the flower it would go with the collection of evidence they had, to build up the case.

He also, told how he had rushed the photograph forward, making it a priority to be printed and compared to the other known prints of Danielle.

"Now you must understand Ronnie, this is an extraordinary case, and is most likely going to take quite a lot of time for the truth to be revealed. There are a lot of avenues and people that I need to speak with, once we get the okay on the prints."

Ronnie hadn't deluded herself and expected to get all the answers right away; it was just so frustrating not knowing how to feel and what to think.

"I know it's frustrating, and I want to keep you as best informed as I can, but I can only tell you what I know, and right now, I'm just concerned as to why Danielle hasn't come forward." Alex more or less read both Ronnie and Roxy's minds. He presses on though.

"… I just want to prepare you, as we need to look at all the possibilities. If she's alive, where is she? How has she survived for this long? If somebody has her, is this a cry for help, if so why not just come out and say so?" Alex honestly explains.

Ronnie didn't know what to say, she couldn't say she hadn't thought that herself, she had, but she couldn't understand why when Alex said it, did it scare her even more.

Was it that if her baby was alive and on her own, and no one else involved why wouldn't she come to her, didn't she want her? Had she remembered all the horrible things she had done and had second thoughts about wanting to be in her life?

On the other hand, if someone was keeping her baby from her again, was the thought that her baby could be in danger too much to comprehend, so she pushed those thoughts away.

It was a strange feeling that fell upon her, as she thought of her father as someone keeping Danielle away from her. That thought had never entered her mind before not honestly, could her father really be involved this time around. It was his sole mission after all, all her life, to keep her from her baby, and to punish her. He had done it before by firstly forcing her to give her baby away along with her heart, and then, later claiming her baby had died years before, when she wasn't. He had just wanted to punish her.

When Danielle had revealed herself to him, he had kept it from her and tried to get rid of Danielle twisting everyone and messing with Danielle's mind as he had done her so many times before.

Therefore, now, her father making everyone believe Danielle to be dead wouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume. For he had made her believe it once before, so why not again, and to increase the pain by having her see the body in the morgue. She suddenly remembered her fathers request for him to go to the morgue with her. Was that so he could see the pain first hand. If so, how did he pull it off?

"The morgue." Ronnie speaks aloud.

"What about it?" Questions Alex.

"The men there, if Danielle was alive shouldn't they have known? Who or what got put into the coffin if it wasn't her?" These were the avenues Alex would need to go down, he was surprised though that the thought had come to Ronnie as quickly as it did.

"That is a line of enquiry that we're going to go down. If these prints are confirmed, and we're to assume Danielle is alive, the only way we can truly have those assumptions confirmed is by opening her coffin." Ronnie's face pales.

What if Danielle was alive, she didn't want her baby being dug up and her peace disturbed.

Yet as Alex had said, the only way to truly, know, if she was alive, is, was she put into that coffin.

"It's going to take some time, I'm going have to speak with the Police in Telford where Danielle is buried and with her adoptive Father, as at the time of her death he was the one who had sole rights to Danielle and it will be his permission we need to exhume the coffin." Ronnie winced as Alex spoke of the position she held where Danielle was concerned. She was nothing.

Roxy sent a glare to Alex who even though speaking sensitively, still managed to upset Ronnie so he carried on, as there was more to come.

"I'm going to need to speak with her adoptive father in regards to the people he dealt with for the funeral and whether he does grant permission for us to exhume the coffin."

Ronnie covers her eyes a moment and takes a deep breath. None of this felt real. She felt as though she was dreaming. Roxy places a comforting hand on Ronnie's back, Alex is quiet a moment before speaking once more, whilst standing.

"I'll give you two a moment, whilst I go and make some calls." Ronnie had kept her face in her hands whilst he spoke, Roxy was the only one to acknowledge him leave. Alex couldn't help but feel sorry for Ronnie, and what he had to say, but he wanted to be honest, and prepare her, because, either way she is going to get hurt. Because, she's got her own ideas already worked out, and however, things end up, its not going to be how she had planned, and realistically, he couldn't' see a way why Danielle would be doing all this, to help Ronnie, but only to cause her pain.

Alex went to another part of the station to talk to a fellow college who was helping him with the case when the officer returned with the rose. He went to greet him and get some information of him, then went and placed the rose with the other evidence. The rose wasn't needed for anything else other than creating a time line of these events. Making it possible to be Danielle. If those prints turned out to be hers.

He decided to follow up on that, so, he went somewhere more private and used a phone to get in touch with the forensics person who was doing the prints for him.

It took him a while to get through to the person he wanted, but finally he was speaking to the person in the know. He listened intently as the forensics person explained his findings. Luckily he had seen the prints as a must do, and had just finished his examinations.

As it turned out there were a mixture of prints on the photograph, but he had been able to identify separate people's prints and had discovered a set off Danielle's. It was covered slightly by another print, but he had been able to identify enough unique markers to confirm an identity. It was definitely Danielle Jones.

This gave Alex the lift he needed; now he would be able to carry on with this case properly and search the avenues he had wanted to as now he would have the go ahead form his boss.

After speaking to his boss, Alex checked his watch and instantly cringed; quickly making his way to the room, he had left Ronnie and Roxy. Over an hour ago. He cursed under his breath; he could not believe he had left them there for so long he had gotten completely side tracked with the case and the results of the prints. He just hoped that Ronnie, and Roxy were still there and were not too pissed with him when he returned that they left before he got to update them with his findings.

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**Hope you can drop a few words on what you like and think is going on in the fic as well as this chap :) cheers guys for sticking with this and me, I'll hopefully reward you with an update 2moz a longer one as there is much to talk about... isn't there? :p x**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys sorry for the delay in the update, but as i explained on my other fic, thigs have been pretty hectic at work, having been transfered. But things are finally settled, and i can begin my writing again :) Hopefully i can update more frequently :) Hope you enjoy what happens in this chap :)**

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Alex entered the room somewhat hesitantly, not sure of what he would find. What he did do was a pacing Roxy and a still seated Ronnie. At the sound of the door opening Roxy and Ronnie, both looked towards the door. Roxy's eyes coming together to form a frown slightly.

"About time, I thought you said you'd be a minute, I had to bang on that door for 10 minutes till an officer answered so I could go and bleeding pee. What sort of prison are you runnin here. Just leave innocent people locked…" Roxy rambles on but is soon interrupted, not by Alex who was quite taken aback by Roxy's little outburst, but by Ronnie who had snapped.

"Will you give it a rest Rox. So we waited a few hours, I'd wait a life time just to be told my baby is alive, even longer to, have some kind of contact with her, even for one second more." Ronnie reveals her hearts requests.

"You don't have to wiat any longer. The prints came back conclusive. Danielle's prints were on the photograph." Alex devluges.

Ronnie's mouth opens slightly and she pales somewhat. Her breathing becomes labored, she stares straight ahead. Roxy held her head and stumbled slightly, taking a seat back next to Ronnie. After a minute of processing the news herself Roxy turns to Ronnie who is still staring ahead.

"Ron, did you hear him. It's Danielle. You were right. She is right isn't she, Danielle is alive?" Roxy turns from Ronnie to address alex as she spoke her request to him.

Alex took a seat facing both Ronnie and Roxy.

"The print is Danielle's. That gives us the room to question a lot of things that has happened. And we will. I know it's a lot to ask of you to be patient, but, this will take some time. I need you to understand that. I'll keep you as best informed as I can, but right now, there's nothing more I can tell you. I suggest, you go home, and rest, try not to tell too many people what's going on. After all it is an investigation. Well. I think that's everything for now. You're free to leave." Alex explains.

"That's it. You tell us her daughter, my neice is most likely alive, and now we're free to go. Have you seen the state of her!" Roxy shouts at Alex pointing from him to Ronnie.

Alex gulps as he looks at Ronnie who is still staring straight ahead, he wasn't sure if she had even heard what he had said just now, after declaring the prints Danielle's he didn't think Ronnie heard anything else.

"I'm sorry." Alex tries to apologise.

Roxy rubs her forehead and runs her hand through her head, she shakes her head slightly.

"It's okay, I'm sorry I shouldn't have snapped, you're just telling us what we needed to know…" Roxy apologises herself, then turns and walks to the opposite side of Ronnie.

She kneels beside her and reaches her hand to cup the side of Ronnie's face.

"Ronnie. Ron. Look at me." Roxy tries to get through to Ronnie. Ronnie squeezes her eyes shut.

"We'll find her Ron, if Dan's alive the police will find her, and we'll get her back. You will get your baby back Ron." Once those words left Roxy's lips, Ronnie crumbled, tears spilled from her eyes, sobs wracked her body as her shoulders slumped and she began to shake from her tears, clutching at her heart, where a locket still hung.

Roxy wrapped her arms around Ronnie and held her. She knew she needed to cry she needed to release the emotions that she was feeling instead o flocking them inside. As Roxy held her sister two tears rolled down her cheeks, followed by more as her sister's cries tore at her heart.

Alex watched on a little uncomfortably, and yet more so determined the tears he will cause will be happy tears.

Three days had passed, and Alex was now making his way to his first person he needed to speak with. Having communicated with the Telford Police and explained what had happened and what he wanted to happen, he was given jurisdiction to question the people he needed to.

He carried in his arms some paper work briefly explaining what he wanted to happen, and had been happening.

He knocked on the door and waited for an answer.

"Hello, erm how can I help you officer?" The man answered.

"Hello Mr Jones, my name is Sergeant Steele, I've got a few things I would like to discuss with you regarding your daughter Danielle." Alex spoke with some sympathy knowing what he had to say would be a lot to take in, if Ronnie's reaction was anything to go by, he had to prepare himself to witness it again.

Andy swallowed hard.

"My Danielle… What, what would you need to talk to me about her for, she's…she…"

"I know Mr. Jones, but that's the reason why I wish to speak with you. May I come inside, what I have to say will be a lot to take in." Again, Alex spoke with care, he offered Andy a sympathetic smile knowing that this must be hard to comprehend as it is, a police officer asking to talk about your dead daughter, or so Andy thought.

"So you see Mr. Jones, that's why I need your permission, it's the only way we can truly know."

After explaining as much as he could to Andy about what had gone on and what he wished to recover he needed to ask Andy for his permission to exhume Danielle's grave. Andy had reacted similar to Ronnie, but as most men do in company of other men, they choose to hide their emotions. Which is what Andy was doing. He held his face in his hands. As he lifted his head to look at Alex, he could see the tears brimming in Andy's eyes.

Andy lifted a shaky hand up to his face to wipe across his mouth and eyes.

" But you said you weren't 100% certain. What if. No I can't. I can't open that coffin to see my Danni there I can't see her like that." Andy shakes his head.

"Mr. Jones. You do understand that by opening the coffin its only to prove that nothing has happened to Danielle. We'll need to check that the coffin hasn't been tampered with. I can assure you Mr. Jones, those prints we have of Danielle's are 100% hers, and they have to have been left within the last few months in regard to the conditions in which the photo was left and how the prints were still there." Alex tries to explain to Andy.

Andy rubs his face again and sighs.

"I, I can't be there when you open the coffin, if there's still a chance she's in there, I can't see my little girl like that…No life there…Not again." Alex nodded understandingly.

"You won't have to, but you will have to come to the funeral directors with me. You will have to be in the room when it is opened, because bylaw you need to be present, when the coffin is exhumed and transported, but. You don't need to look in the coffin when it is opened, just in case. Yet, if she isn't there…"

"Then they were from Danielle, those things Ronnie got. Danielle she, she wants to tell her something… If she's alive, why isn't she here, why won't she talk to us. Why won't she talk to me." Andy admits sadly.

Alex knew the situation was a tough one, Andy had raised Danielle as his own, loved her, yet so had Ronnie, loved Danielle ever since she lost her, Andy obviously must be feeling upset and slight anger in regards that Ronnie who he views as never wanting Danielle to be the one person Danielle wants.

"That's what we will need to look into once we have more proof Danielle is alive. Even if the coffin is empty… I know it may be hard to comprehend but, we will still have to consider the fact that she might have been taken. This is why we need to check the coffin, it will open up all the avenues I need to go down to get you all the answers you need." Alex replies honestly.

"Taken?" Andy asks worriedly.

Alex sighs.

"I'm sorry, but I need you to be aware of all the possible situations. I need you to understand the great need we have in exhuming that coffin. I know how hard it must be for you, I respect your reason for not wanting to do it. I agree with you infact, but, if it wasn't for any other reason than this, if there wasn't a chance… I'd be telling you not to do it, that we could search other avenues. But, Mr. Jones, we don't have any, this whole case, everything starts where it ended. That's why I need you to sign this. Why I need you to come with me to the funeral directors. Why I need you to be the one who brings Danielle home. Without you, there is no way we can continue this case." Alex reaches out. Hoping that Andy would agree.

Andy looks at Alex slightly surprised by all that he had said. He took a moment to take it all in, before he gives a small nod, which then increases slightly as he affirms to himself that he is doing the right thing.

"Okay. Okay. Where do I sign?" Andy asks quietly, still slightly unsure whether he was doing the right thing.

Alex sorts through some papers before laying 2 pieces of paper in front of Andy on the table in front of him. Explaining where he would like him to sign, and, Andy as and where doing as instructed to do.

Alex clears his throat as he stands, having stored the papers back in his file with his other papers. He extends his hand to Andy.

Andy looks at him rather confused. Yet takes his hand.

" I know what you just did took a lot of courage, and even more faith. I want you to know that I'll do all I can to repay that faith, and not let it be for nothing." Alex releases Andy's hand and gestures to the door.

"Would you like to follow me?" Andy raises his eyebrow questioningly.

"Where?"

"To the funeral dierectors?" Alex anserws simply.

Andy's eyebrows raises more slightly, this time in surprise.

"So soon?"

"I think too much time has all ready passed don't you?" Andy nods and follows Alex out, taking his coat with him as he exited his house.

He knew that Alex wasn't just talking about Danielle not being with them, but since Danielle's death, if Danielle was dead and in that coffin, and the state of her body already… He didn't want to think of that thought, if he thought of that any longer he'd tell Alex to rip up those papers and stop this before it even begun.

Yet he knew, as soon as Ronnie had come to him, that small hope as he held that card, that maybe, just maybe he didn't need to sleep for his dreams to take place. That it could all in fact be erased, by simply starting where it all ended, yet began. All the pain began where Danielle's body was laid to rest. Yet, it could soon be over. Andy hoped it was true, that some how these past months were some horrible dream, and he could finally awake from it, and pray for one more moment with Danielle, knowing that it could actually happen, he could actually see her smile again, hear her laugh, and hold her in his arms.

What Andy failed to realise is that those thoughts, his feelings were the exact same as Ronnie's and had been for some time. He wasn't so much different than her, no one was, all who knew and loved Danielle were alike in some way, as she had touched their hearts and left a piece of herself with them. Therefore, Andy and Ronnie were the same in the way they loved Danielle, no more, no less. To them, she was their daughter. The daughter they had always longed for, yet lost too soon.

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**So, how was it? As always i do appreciate what you think of the chap, and would be very thankful of a review. Thanks to all you guys, I'd name you all, but you know who you are, those that have stuck with this and continue to review thanks, i do this for you :) thanks for reading everyone :) x**


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